


An unusual Marriage

by MansiJain



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fem!DracoMalfoy, Female Draco Malfoy, Good Tom Riddle, Infidelity, Married Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Sane Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle is Harry's age, fem!Draco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2018-12-26 15:00:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 40,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12061365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MansiJain/pseuds/MansiJain
Summary: Fed up of Draco's and Harry's colorful sex life, their parents decide to get them married to each other and stop their dancing around each other once for all. Of course, they deny but elders are undeterred. Enter one handsome Tom Riddle, Draco's best friend.... Will love blossom between Harry and Draco or will Harry's stubbornness lead to their separation? Female Draco Malfoy.





	1. You are getting married tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> All rights belong to Rowling and the relevant corporations. I make no money from the publication of this "work."

**_Chapter-1_ **

**_You are getting married tomorrow_ **

"Are you for real?" Draco stares at her father, her beautiful eyes wide with shock and horror.

"Yes." Father nods, his eyes blank.

Draco sighs in relief when mother intervenes on her behalf, "Lucius, don't you think that this is too sudden." Her relief transforms into horror again when father shakes his head, "He is the only boy she has not slept with. Moreover, they have been dancing around each other for years now."

"Don't be crass Lucius. She hasn't slept with anyone and her crush on that boy doesn't give you any right you to force the marriage on her." Mum stares at father, her face appalled and father rolls his eyes. Draco can only stare at the scene unfolding in front of her in shock.

"I don't have a crush on him." She snaps at them, her eyes flicking from mom to dad. 

"She is not. She is as manipulative and promiscuous as they come. She is most certainly not a paradigm of chastity and virtue as she claims to be. He likes her as well and he is more financially sound then her. He is a pureblood and filthy rich. What else do we need?"

"He doesn't like me." She raises her voice but they ignore her.

"But everyone thinks that- everyone loves her." Mother whispers and father looks at Draco, his face blank, "Yes everyone does, mothers and sons alike."

It's Draco's turn to roll her eyes now.

"I am not marrying him. No way. I would rather marry a frog. I mean, he has slept with more then ninety percent of witches in Britain." Draco mutters and leans back on her chair, placing her hands on her knees.

"Pot calling the kettle black." Father looks at him and continues icily, "Anyways, I am not asking you. I am telling you." Father mutters and gets up to leave.

"Come on father. I am not marrying that- that fucking idiot. He is a fucking playboy." Draco yells at her father's back, her eyes gleaming with fury.

"The entire daily prophet was covered with your dare and the subsequent challenge Draco."

"I was-"

Father didn't let her speak though, "You dared him to lure you in his bed and then later you challenged him to win your hand for marriage. Why will you do so if you didn't want him?"

"I didn't know that you will agree so readily. It's as if you were waiting for this to happen and anyways his godfather will never agree. James Potter or Lupin might have but he despises them so there's that." She smirked and then she really looked at father because he was smirking at her too. 

"I have already spoken to Black. You need not worry about his consent. I would have talked to his mother but she was quite busy." Father mutters and Draco stares at him incredulously.

"I have had enough of your self-destructive nature Draco. I have watched you for years and waited for you to realize what you want." His eyes are serious now and Draco stares quietly at him. She doesn't want to understand anything.

What does he know? She doesn't want Potter.

"I was drunk father. Had I been sober, it won't have happened. If you are fed up of my lifestyle, I can move out. That way, I won't embarrass you." She answers him and he sighs, "Don't think that I have forgotten that night Draco." and Draco closes her eyes, reminiscing the only time when she had let herself dream and had spoken to father about it.

_"Father what do you think about Harry Potter?" She had asked. She had been fifteen and naive. She had been a fool to imagine that a stupid kiss under the mistletoe meant that they were meant for each other. He had been her first kiss and it was Christmas. She was happy._

_"Why will I think anything about him?" His eyes were cautious as he asked this question and she turned bright red before mumbling, "I sort of like him. He is kind of nice." She had played with the strand of thread on her couch before speaking in a very soft voice, "He has beautiful eyes."_

_"I have heard a lot about him though I haven't really ever met him properly." Father had said and and Draco had changed the topic after that._

Days had turned into months and Potter never spoke to her about that kiss. She realized from the rumor mill that he was quiet popular with girls and that was when she really gave up any hopes about him. 

"Draco." Father whispers softly and Draco opens her eyes before sighing, "Say the word and I will tell Black about your decision. I am doing this because you have always wanted it and Black told me that Potter feels the same about you."

Draco doesn't reply. She doesn't deny. She can't. All these years she had thought that she had given up her hopes on him. She had thought that she gotten over her silly little crush but apparently not.

Father calls her once again, "Draco."

But she doesn't deny. She starts climbing the stairs, frustrated and annoyed and strangely with a heart that feels too heavy. 

XXXX

"Oh! And why should I listen you?" Harry asks, sprawled on the couch in his sitting room in his boxers, "Don't tell me that you spoiled my night for Draco Malfoy. I was just getting to the better part."

"I am your father Harry and-" Sirius starts and Harry snorts inelegantly, "Third father." and smirks at Sirius.

"Whatever. I was your godfather before I married Lily and I will always be your father."

"I am waiting for Snape's turn, you know." Harry muttered in amusement and Sirius sighed, "We are talking about your marriage, not your mother's confused and complicated mind."

"Well, we must stop because I am not marrying her, not even if she is the last woman on this planet. I completely despise her." Harry mutters in annoyance and stares at the ceiling. Magic can do wonders. The eye surgery corrected his terrible eye-sight and he discarded those hideous glasses.

If anything, it served to improve his already seductive looks. Girls love his green eyes and he only has to stare at them for a couple of minutes too long and they agree to do whatever he wants. There is no girl he can't win, no-one except Draco Malfoy.

Stupid bitch.

Teasing him with her curves, too short skirts and too low shirts.

"Because she won't let you fuck her." Sirius snorts and Harry glares at him before snapping, "I don't wish to fuck her. I am sure she is a terrible lay."

"Grapes are bitter, eh?." Sirius mutters snidely and Harry glares at his godfather, "No point in glaring at me, Harry. You are getting married to her tomorrow. We are leaving at half past ten and you are going to sign papers with her."

"I am not." Harry mutters calmly and Sirius looks at him, his eyes gleaming mischievously as he mutters, "You want her. Don't deny."

"I don't and marriage is not going to change anything. I am going to continue fucking whosoever suits my fancy." Harry mutters carelessly and Sirius looks at him carefully, "You want her Harry. I have seen you watch her."

"I don't-"

"You do. Whenever you are drunk, you seek her out and mock her and tell her that you will have her even if that was the last thing you do and you come to me ranting about how she doesn't even talk politely with you. I have seen this happen for years. I am putting a stop to it now."

This being said, his godfather walks away towards mum's room. Harry wonders where mum is and whether she has found yet another toy for herself.

"Fuck you Draco." Harry hisses at no-one in particular, "Fuck you for spoiling my night." before smiling and summoning his mobile. Well, there is still Pansy. Maybe he wants to bed her but that's all that is. He is not interested in anything more then a one night stand. 

"Hello. Is that Pansy? Would you like to come around for some drinks. I am rather bored." He mutters in a seductive voice and she agrees.

He hangs off and levitates two glasses and a bottle of wine towards his room trying to convince himself that Sirius has gone insane for even thinking that he wants her.

XXXX


	2. Married

**_Chapter-2_ **

**_Married_ **

"Congratulations, you are now husband and wife." The clerk smiles at them, expecting a smile in return. Draco is looking at the poor clerk with narrowed eyes, whereas Harry is just annoyed. He has better things to do than stand here foolishly. He had to cancel his lectures today and students were so disappointed.

It had come as a shock to everyone when Harry had held an exhibition of his own paintings and then started his own art classes. No one had known about his talent, not even his parents. Their gob-smacked faces had delighted him.

"What are you looking at? Give us the damned papers so that we can leave. I have work to do even if this git doesn't." Draco snaps at the poor clerk and Harry mutters snidely, "Oh! Yes, boys to fuck, boyfriends to sleep..." and trails off.

The clerk stares at him as if he has grown another head.

"Stop harassing the clerk." Sirius mutters, sounding amused. Warm arms wrap around Harry's middle and knowing that it is his dear mum, he rolls his eyes.

"Congratulations Harry." She whispers and kisses his head and Harry pulls away gently, "Give it a rest mum."

He turns around and finds Snape still leaning against the wall, his eyes cautious and annoyed.

"Hello, would be step-father. Did you enjoy this little ceremony?" Harry smiles at him and Sirius shakes his head in amusement.

"Harry." Mum whispers, apparently appalled. Her acting skills have improved.

Harry smiles at Remus who walks towards him with warm eyes and places his hands on his head before murmuring, "God bless you both Harry."

"God has already done enough by getting me married to your stupid godson, step son, whatever. Now, will you kindly let us leave." Draco mutters annoyed. Unlike Harry, her parents are not hovering over her. Lucius and Narcissa had left after a kiss on her forehead. 

XXXX

Draco glares murderously at her _husband_. The git is grinning at her, his green eyes gleaming wickedly. She narrows her eyes at him and mutters, "I am not living at your parents's place." She might secretly like him but she had no intention of living with his parents. 

To her annoyance, he wraps his arms around her neck and presses their foreheads together, "Of course not, darling. We have a house of our own." and then he simply apparates them, right in front of his relatives.

They land in front of a huge mansion and the git still doesn't pull away.

"There is atleast one outcome of this that is utterly brilliant. I get to fuck you now." He smirks at her and tries to close the distance between their mouths. Draco punches his stomach hard enough to make him stumble back.

"Fucking idiot." She mutters and starts walking towards the entry of the mansion. Warm arms that wrap around her waist stop her mid stride and she sighs in annoyance.

"Only you would wear a scrap of satin to your own wedding. Although I must say that it does look good on you." He murmurs and places his palms on her belly. Her back is pressed against his chest. She had worn it deliberately. It only extends to a quarter of her thighs and has a plunging neckline. She hadn't worn it to please him and she most certainly is not having red cheeks right now. No. Absolutely not. She is just angry that he is standing too close to her. 

"Will you just back off, Potter?" She mutters, her teeth gritting. His wandering hands are effecting her in ways she doesn't want.

"No, darling." He whispers and nuzzles her neck, "I have wanted you in my arms for so long now."

XXXX

Harry's grin turns into a scowl when she digs her heals on his foot. He groans and pulls back, stumbling on one foot stupidly. She turns around and laughs at him, her head tipping back. He wants to be furious at her but he is not. She has a beautiful laugh and he can already feel his lips upturning in a small smile as she laughs, doubled over.

"Enough laughing at my expense." He mutters and she looks at him before bursting into giggles again, "You should have looked at yourself."

"Hahaha. Very funny. I will get you back for this, you silly woman." He mutters and walks towards her. She turns around again and resumes her stride towards the mansion.

"So, why did you agree to this?" He asks her curiously and she doesn't reply, walking silently towards the door. He unlocks it and they enter inside.

"Which one is supposed to be my room?" She asks, looking around and doesn't answer him.

"Why did you agree Malfoy? We hate each other." He says and her heart feels strangely heavy again. 

"I am tired and want to retire." She simply murmurs and stares blankly at him. This doesn't seem funny any longer. He is looking quite seriously at her. He has kept his face blank so that she can't read it. A part of her is happy that she finally has Harry Potter and the other part is terribly terrified because this could turn into a trap. Harry Potter is not a noble man everyone just presumes him to be. She can't tell him yet and she doesn't want to accept anything to herself even. It most probably was just an itch and now that its scratched, maybe she can finally live in peace and enjoy her life without having to sleep with countless boys just to convince herself that she is not pining for this man. 

"Do you like the house?" He asks, changing the topic and she mutters, "I am not really your wife, Potter, no matter what those papers say. I didn't ask for this. Father forced me into it."

She lies to him and she knows that she looks convincing. She has always been an expert in lying. She has been lying to herself for past five years now. 

He walks towards her, smiling softly and tucks her hair behind her ear before kissing her lips softly. She is startled for only a moment before which she pulls back and scowls furiously at him, "Stop kissing and touching me at every turn."

He winks at her and turns around before walking towards his room. At this moment, she really does want to hate him. She doesn't want to be manipulated. Maybe she should have gotten out of this when she had a chance. 

"There are two master bedrooms here. The one I am walking towards belongs to me. You can take the one beside it. You can get it furnished as you want." He whispers smoothly and continues, "Blissy is our elf. She has already placed your luggage in your room. You can call her if you need something. I will be in my room."

By the time, he finishes, he is at the entryway. He turns his face only a bit to look at her. Her silver eyes are boring into his skull. They are intense but other then, quite unreadable. He wonders what she is thinking but there is no point of asking really. She would only scowl at him if he dares to ask. So he simply enters his room.

He had taken an off. Might as well have some fun. Being a successful business man does have its perks. 

He grins and calls Ginny.

"Hey."

"Ha- Harry." She murmurs and Harry frowns, "What happened Gin?"

"That bitch. Malfoy lured Neville and now he won't speak to me Harry. He keeps on thinking about her." She is crying and Harry has a hunch as to who 'the bitch' is.

"Who are you talking about?" He asks curiously and she replies, sobbing, "Your bloody wife, Draco."

"Oh! If he was so easily lured, then he never loved you in the first place, Gin." He replies wisely and smiles before murmuring, "Hey, why don't you come over?"

"But, she must be there with you." She whispers softly and Harry replies back, his voice as soft, "I don't really love her. Sirius has practically dragged me into this sham of a marriage. I didn't have a choice and didn't really care. It will most certainly lead to a divorce. We detest each other."

"Okay. I will be there in a few minutes." She replies and Harry hangs off, grinning to himself. She needs a shoulder and he can be the best shoulder she would ever want.

XXXX

Draco has just closed her door when she hears voices from Potter's bedroom.

"She just - she is so heartless Harry. She lured him." The sobbing voice belongs to Ginny and for some reason, Draco's fury rises.

"Shhh. It's okay. He doesn't deserve you." Potter is sweet talking her and Draco closes her eyes to control herself. It is utterly impossible but she manages to stay frozen. But then they become silent and Ginny moans a bit, "You are so sweet. Ahhh." and Draco completely loses herself.

"Alohomora." She screams and the door slams open. As she had expected they are in a state of half undress. Potter is wearing just his trousers and Ginny is in skirt and bra.

They are staring at her in shock. Draco breathes, trying to calm herself down but she can't. For some reason, she can't bear this woman near Potter. She doesn't know why but she simply can't. He is her husband isn't he? Why is he sleeping with this woman. Not even a day has elapsed.

"Get off him." She whispers coldly and crosses her arms before glaring at the girl. Weaslette stares at her and Draco walks towards the pair, her heals clicking on the floor. She avoids Potter's eyes because she doesn't want to answer his questions. She can't face them yet. She can't let him manipulate her feelings and use her. She holds Ginny's hand and drags her off the bed.

"Get out." She snaps at her, her arms crossed again.

The woman has the gall to narrow her eyes at her and mutter, "It's not like you are in love with each other and I don't see Harry sending me away."

Draco turns towards Potter now. He is sitting on his bed, his back against the head board and Draco demands softly, "Send her away."

"Why? This is not your room." He mutters calmly and places his hands behind his head, his long legs stretched in front of him. His chest is smooth and broad and bare. Draco's stomach flutters at its sight and she looks at the man again before murmuring, "Well, it is now."

As soon as the words slip her mouth, she regrets them. He stares at her, speechless for once and she yells, "BLISSY."

The house elf appears with a pop in front of her, bowing low, "Yes, Mistress Draco."

"Please shift my luggage to this room." She demands and Blissy nods before disappearing.

"You are nuts." Weaslette mutters and Draco glares venomously at her, before opening her mouth. But Blissy appears again and she shuts her mouth.

"Now, this is my room as well. Mine and my husband's. There is no place for you over here. Now get lost before I throw you out of this house myself. Don't show your face over here again." She snaps and settles down on the couch, her legs stretched luxuriously in front of her. Her skirt rides high and Potter stares.

"Harry." Weaslette whispers, scandalised at the lack of any response from him and he doesn't even listen to her, continuing to stare at Draco's legs.

"Harry." Weaslette, whispers softly and Draco smiles and when Potter blinks before finally looking at the red-head.

"yes." He says and Weaslette simply stares at him.

"Ask her to leave our bedroom." She whispers very softly and Potter stares at her mouth blankly for a few moments before turning towards Weaslette and muttering, "I will talk to you later, all right."

Weaslette turns red and Draco smirks at her as she stomps out of their room. By now Blissy has arranged her luggage in the wardrobe and she leaves them to themselves.

Now that they are alone, Draco doesn't know what to say or do. So she simply sits there, her head against the head rest, her eyes closed. What has she gotten herself into. 

XXXX

Please review


	3. Confused

**_Chapter-3_ **

_**Confused** _

Harry simply stares at her. He is completely stunned at her little performance and he doesn't understand as to why she would be so angry at Ginny's presence in his bedroom. He gets up and transfigures the sofa into a large couch and lays on it, his head in her lap.

"So." He starts curiously, "Why did you do it? You have to understand that I am not going to stop fucking just because I have signed those papers. Sirius forced me into it."

She doesn't reply and keeps her eyes closed, her head resting on the headrest and he holds her hand in his and brushes his lips gently on her palm.

Finally, she stirs and gazes at him. She pulls her palm away from his grasp and places her thumb on his lips. Her eyes are intense. He drops his hands and places them on the couch. She strokes his lips and stares into his eyes. Her eyes are silver and so very powerful, but other than that, they are unreadable and he doesn't understand them.

In fact her gaze is so powerful that Harry can't avert his eyes from it. He wonders if her eyes are the reason every male falls in love with her. Her thumb strokes his lips and he stares silently at her. He doesn't remember a single instance when he has just laid his head on someone's lap. He wonders if marriage implies that you can do this. Perhaps, it's good to have a wife who will let you sleep on her lap.

Wife. As soon as he thinks about the word, the reality hits him like a bludger. He is married and he has a wife.

"I have never laid on-" He starts and her phone starts ringing. The moment is broken and she blinks before looking away and taking the call. For the very first time, Harry wonders if introducing the wizarding world to mobile phones was beneficial.

"Hey." She murmurs and then smiles before whispering softly, "Oh! come over. Let's christen my new room."

For some unknown reason, Harry turns rigid on hearing these words. She is smiling wickedly at him. He has a strange urge to pull the phone form her hand and break it into millions of pieces. 

 _What the hell is wrong with me?_  He thinks and gets up. Something weird is burning in the pit of his stomach. His face feels too hot and his hands are trembling. He closes the door of the bathroom and stares at his reflection.

Anger doesn't come easily to him. He doesn't know the cause of his simmering fury. He tries to smile but his reflection grimaces. He simply shakes his head and turns the tap on. He splashes the cold water on his face and walks outside.

She is not there and something stirs inside his belly again. He grimaces, confused at his weird reaction and looks at his phone.

"I need to get laid. Stupid Malfoy." He grumbles and reaches for it to call Tonks.

XXXX

An hour later, he is done with her. 

"She is getting to you, isn't she?" Tonks asks him as he wears his boxers. 

"Get lost." He mutters before wearing his pajamas and a T-shirt. 

"She is. I can already see that. You were thinking about her the entire time weren't you?" She mumbles and laughs, the blanket wrapped around her naked form.

"You should be gone before I return from the bathroom." He simply murmurs curtly and walks inside the bathroom. Her laughter follows him inside. She is right of course. He was in fact thinking about Draco while fucking Tonks. It has never happened before and he is worried and confused as to why it would happen now.

He washes his face and brushes his teeth before walking outside. She is gone and he switches the light off before walking outside. 

He freezes when he finds Zabini leaving her room. She is at the entrance, blowing kisses at him and the burn returns inside his belly. His hands tremble and he can barely control them from hexing Zabini into next week.

Only when he is sure that Zabini has left and that Draco has returned inside the room, does he walk towards his own room, his eyes gleaming with fury.

XXXX

Blaise is a good shag. He knows how Draco likes it and never disappoints her. Humming, she changes into her sleeping shorts and a simple top and walks towards her new bedroom. She is already rethinking her decision to sleep with him. But she can't tolerate the Weaslette's presence in her house. Draco despises her.

She opens the door and tip toes inside. Potter is sleeping. He looks cute while sleeping. His mouth is slightly open and his arm rests on his forehead. She locks the door and walks towards the bed and crawls inside the blanket.

A minute passes and she has just closed her eyes when a warm arm wraps around her waist and pulls her close to a broad chest.

"What is it about you that didn't let me fuck Tonks in peace, Draco?" He murmurs, his lips on her neck. She has frozen. Initially it was surprise and now the desire that his soft lips on her neck send through her body has rendered her unable to move.

"I was thinking about you while I was inside her." He whispers, his hand stroking her belly. She has to grit her teeth to stop herself from moaning. His hands are caressing her belly through the thin cloth of her top.

"I was imagining that it was you the entire while and believe me, this is the very first time this has happened." He whispers and leaves a trail of soft kisses from the skin beneath her ear through her jaw and finally to the hem line of her top on her shoulders. 

"You are so bloody delicious, you know." He whispers and his hands slips gently inside her top. She throws her head on his shoulder when his fingers graze the warm skin of her stomach. They tip toe towards her breasts. He cups them in his palms and murmurs, "Hmmm. No bra. I wonder if..." 

He trails off and from somewhere Draco finds the strength to whisper, "Don't."

He doesn't reply but his hands don't stray towards her shorts. His thumb barely brushes her nipples and she trembles. His palm cups her breasts, kneading them, one after the other and Draco is panting now, moaning softly under her breath. His hands are tender, soft and unlike anyone's she has slept with.

Her entire frame is shaking with pleasure and he whispers, "Your little moans are so delicious. Let me take this irritating top off."

The decision to shove him off is excruciating but she does it. She breaths a couple of times and removes his hands from her body before getting up and kneeling beside him on her knees.

XXXX

She looks wonderful and it's completely impossible for Harry to simply look at her. His hands had been on her breasts a moment back and it had been heavenly. He wants her back in his arms. He wants her so much that he has to clench his hands to stop them. Keeping his lust-laden eyes away from her, he places his hands behind his head and stares at the ceiling.

After a couple of seconds, she moves and sits on crossed legs beside him. He is surprised that she is not screaming at him. He shouldn't have done it and that too when he knew that she didn't want it. But she was looking so beautiful and soft and he wanted her so much. Seeing her with Zabini had caused a strange burn inside him. It just won't go away.

He jumps in surprise when a weight settles on his hips and his mouth drops in shock when he realizes that it is Draco. She has straddled him and is looking at him with a smirk on her beautiful face. Her fascinating eyes are glowing with desire.

"If it's fucking that you want Potter, then I can be your girl. But I am not your wife. I had never intended to marry anyone, so just forget it. Don't expect anything else from me." She whispers and sits between his legs after spreading them. He can only stare when she moves to remove his pajamas and murmurs, "I have wanted to suck you off for so long."

Draco is placing him at par with her other lovers. Perhaps that is what provokes him to do what he does next or perhaps sleep had muddled his mind because he sits up and arranges his pajamas on his hardened member before looking at her.

For a few moments, he does't know what to say. She is staring at him, her hands frozen in the air. Her hands had been on his boxer clad cock when he had sat up and he himself doesn't know why he did it.

"I am tired and I have to take lectures tomorrow. I have a schedule to follow. Not everyone has the luxury that you do." He sneers at her. There it is again. The burn and the trembling. His fingers are sparkling with magic and he has clench his fists to keep it at bay. For some reason, he is glaring at her.

"What do you mean by that? I am an established potions mistress and -" Her eyes are narrowed and he yells at her, "That's not what I meant. I only meant that you don't have to get up early whereas I do and so it's better that you let me sleep."

He is astonished at his own reaction. Harry doesn't shout at anyone.

She stares at him with stunned and somewhat pained eyes that are so beautiful and silver before murmuring slowly, "A few moments back, you were-"

He cuts her off again with a curt, "I want to sleep. Good night." and averts his eyes, waiting for her to remove herself.

She does after huffing a bit and he lays down, facing away from her. The temptation is too much. Somehow it irritates him and he doesn't want to succumb again.

 _I have to talk to Ron and Hermione about this_. He decides just before closing his eyes.

XXXX

Coffee anyone?

And please review. :)


	4. Why am I angry

_**Chapter-4** _

_**Why am I angry** _

After the last of the students have gone, Harry called Ron. Ron had opened a Quidditch academy after graduating and is happily married to Hermione. He has a six month old daughter whose name is Rose. Harry is slightly jealous of him. He leads a simple life, has a simple wife, one kid and a happy life.

Not like Harry. He can honestly not make heads or tails of all this. Draco is a goddamned head ache. He was taking a class of nineteen year old students today when she came prancing inside, her stupid hips swaying and his lips upturned in a seductive smile and volunteered to model to help everyone sketch.

Jack Russell volunteered to model with her. Of course, he did. Harry had to tolerate a complete hour of watching them having their bloody foreplay. She pranced out with Jack after the class, most probably in one of the other rooms to shag him.

An hour has passed since then and he is still pacing back and forth in his study like an angry tiger. He doesn't know why he is angry and is really thinking about renting a place to teach. He doesn't require to rent it out. The manor is quite big and he has set everything up. It cuts the cost and hassle connected to maintaining a place.

Not knowing the cause of his own fury is frustrating. He shouldn't be bothered by the fact that she is shagging others. But he is and it frustrates him.

"Mate." Ron mutters and walks inside, his eyes amused.

"Hermione is still angry with me, eh?" Harry asks and Ron grins before settling down on a chair, "Yes. I tried to tell her that it's not like a real marriage but she says that it is a marriage nevertheless and you should have invited us."

"I hate Draco." Harry snaps at Ron before sitting across him and glares at nothing in particular.

"Oh! And why is that?" Ron asks and Harry looks at him, "She is promiscuous."

Ron rolls his eyes before looking at Harry, "And you are not?"

Harry opens his mouth and then closes it before glaring at Ron, "She is doing this deliberately."

Ron nods politely and asks him, "Why would she do so?"

"Because- because I refused to shag her." Harry mutters and looks at Ron expectantly.

Ron stares at him for a few seconds before whispering slowly, his eyes blank, "So you don't want to shag her."

"Of course I want to shag her." Harry snaps at Ron and Ron stares at him before muttering, "She wants to shag you and you want to shag her. I don't understand the problem."

Harry huffs in annoyance before muttering, "I- I just- she wants to shag everyone."

"And you don't?" Ron asks him and Harry glares at him, "This is not about me."

"Tit for tat mate and I really don't understand the problem here. it's not like you expected monogamy from her or she did from you." Ron asks reasonably, his eyes watching Harry carefully.

Harry slams his hand on the table in annoyance before glaring at Ron, "You are not understanding Ron."

Ron smiles at him and summons a water bottle.

"That's because you are not explaining it to me." He says before having a sip of water.

"Go away. You are annoying me. Go- go to your dear wife. I hate you." Harry mutters in annoyance and Ron chuckles before getting up, "All right mate. Firecall me if you need me again."

Jack passes his study, his bag on his shoulders and his eyes cautious and Harry feels his fury flare again. He places his elbows on the table and his head on his palms.

Ron is gone and Harry still doesn't understand anything. It's so bloody irritating.

XXXX

Draco tiptoes inside the kitchen. Potter is annoyed. His face is transparent and Draco smirks at this. He is jealous and her purpose is achieved. She had not shagged Jack. Of course, she hadn't. She had given him a reprimand instead. He shouldn't try to seduce his teacher's wife and the boy had returned sulkily. She would never do this. She would not insult Potter like this in front of his students.

He looks handsome, though he is wearing his shorts and a T-shirt and staring at the oven with irritated eyes. She wraps her arms around his waist and presses her front on his back.

He pulls away and glares at her menacingly, "He is my student. You shouldn't have slept with him."

"Just because he is your student?" She asks and washes her hands before taking an apple out of the fridge. She has just come back from a jog and is hungry.

"Wait. Dinner is ready." He mutters and opens the oven. He has prepared pasta and it looks delicious. She places the apple back inside the fridge and places the plates on the table while he brings the pasta.

"You are my wife." He hisses, his green eyes burning with an unreadable emotion and she snaps at him, "Still you don't shag me."

She almost jumps in surprise when he stands up and slams his hands on the table in fury, "So you will sleep with my students."

Draco places her fork back on her plate and leans back before crossing her hands around her sports bra and muttering, "As such, it's none of your business. None of us were expecting monogamy from this marriage. But I will have you know that I didn't sleep with him."

He stares at her in shock and sits back down on his chair, his eyes mortified and his cheeks tinged red.

"Now, please explain your reaction to me." Draco asks and resumes her dinner, "This is delicious by the way."

He eats quietly, his eyes firmly on his plate.

"Potter. How does it matter. You are sleeping with others too. You shagged Tonks yesterday while I was with Blaise." She says and his hands clench around his fork.

"Potter." She presses and he looks at her, his eyes fuming, "Let me have dinner in peace."

He is really getting on her nerves now. She doesn't understand him or his stupid reactions or his bloody mood swings.

"All right. I won't say anything now." She snaps at him in annoyance and takes out her phone to check out her missed calls and messages.

"Theodore is coming over today." She whispers to herself and jumps in surprise yet again when he stands up and simply leaves the table, grumbling something under his breath.

She stares at him. Perhaps this marriage has driven him nuts. She thinks and texts Theo to bring his observations along with the patient's file. She will need to check the patient's case out before prescribing the potion. After that, she resumes her dinner and finally eats it in peace. Potter's unfinished pasta is on the table. She levitates it inside the oven and decides to take it to him after Theo leaves.

XXXX

Harry thrusts inside Pansy hard and fast. He is just so furious. She moans and screams and he squeezes her breasts roughly before finally releasing inside her. He is just so angry at Draco. The woman just has to talk about other men in his presence. Couldn't she have stayed quiet. Was that too much to ask?

He pulls out of Pansy and gets off the bed.

"Awww. Won't you cuddle?" She mocks him and he snaps at her, "Get lost."

"She is getting to you, isn't she?" Pansy asks while getting off his bed and getting dressed and he stares at her in annoyance. What's with people saying that Draco is getting to him.

"Get lost" He mutters through gritted teeth and she chuckles before opening the door. It's a bloody coincidence that Draco is just standing at the door, his unfinished pasta in her hands when Pansy opens it and Harry stares at the woman in surprise.

"Your husband is delicious." Pansy mocks Draco and Draco ignores her before entering and closing the door with her foot.

"Can you refrain from fucking them in our room at least?" Her eyes are blank while she says this and Harry glares at her, "Now you are angry at me. What about the fact that you have just shagged Nott."

She walks towards him, his plate of pasta in her hands and places it in his before taking out her sleeping clothes from the wardrobe and muttering, "I didn't sleep with him. You are nuts. He was here to discuss a case with me and he has gone."

She is trying to maintain her facade but Harry can see it falling. Her stride is not graceful and her cheeks are red with fury. Her eyes are utterly blank.

"Do finish your dinner and clean the room. You must be quite hungry." She murmurs and he walks towards the bed, feeling strangely guilty and irritated with himself. Why did he jump to that conclusion? He could just have asked Draco.

 _Why do I even care?_  He thinks as he eats the pasta. He is in fact starving. She exits the bathroom in twenty minutes, her usual smile on her face and her stride graceful.

"Thank you." He murmurs and she lays down beside him.

"You are welcome." She replies, her body facing away from him.

"Sorry." He mutters in a very low voice and he doesn't know why he is apologizing.

"No need. I don't care. I am calling Seamus over tomorrow." She mutters and he closes his eyes to control his fury.

"Why?" He asks in an irritated voice and she replies curtly, "He is a good shag."

He gulps rest of his dinner and goes to sleep, fuming to himself and still not knowing the reason of his fury.

XXXX

Draco glares at the wall. It's not like they had decided to have a monogamous marriage. Hell, she knows that he will never like her. Why is she angry then? Anyways, couldn't he just have asked her about the reason of inviting Theo over? Fucking idiot.

XXXX

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	5. Weird feelings

_**Chapter-5** _

_**Weird Feelings** _

Morning passes in a blur. They take their breakfast silently. Harry is reading the Prophet and she is going through her messages. It irks Harry. He wonders who she is talking to. Sometimes she smiles and sometimes she frowns. It's pathetic but it's how it is.

Astoria called him up in the morning to check if they were still meeting and he canceled their date. She is a good lay and still he canceled and he doesn't know what compelled him to do so.

"One of these days, I am going to throw your phone away." He mutters with gritted teeth and she scowls at him, her silver eyes annoyed, "Why?"

He doesn't reply because he doesn't know the answer.

"Don't call Seamus tonight." Out of the blue, the words just escape his mouth. His cheeks feel hot and he scowls at the newspaper.

"He will be here at seven." She replies and it is nothing he hadn't expected.

Suddenly, he can't take it anymore. He can't sit in front of her and drink coffee while she makes plans to fuck other men in their own home. He stands up with a jerk and glares venomously at her, "I hate you so much Draco. You are- you are pathetic."

"Likewise  _Harry darling_." She mocks him and leans back, her cup of coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.

He closes his eyes to control his temper and turns around, "One of these days, I am going to hide your phone somewhere you will never find it."

"Have a good day and let me have a good day too." She snaps at him and he walks towards the wing he takes his lectures in. He is already late because of this- this stupid woman.

XXXX

Draco scowls as she stares at his retreating back. Why did he ask her not to call Seamus. He had no right, not when he is fucking girls left and right. Appetite lost, she slams her glass on the table and gets up. She is not exactly free. She has potions to brew and clients to meet.

She has not decided yet whether she should just transform one of the rooms into her office or rent out a place. The manor is quite big but she will have to ask Potter about it. But her clients want to meet her today itself. They are from Canada and want to make a contract with her. If everything goes well, it will be good because this will be the first time when she would sell out of her hometown.

Potter has a horrible taste or perhaps he is just ignorant and lazy. The curtains, carpets and furniture are old and distasteful and so boring. The manor is so huge and so beautifully built but the furnishings are so boring. She wants to change so many things but she doesn't want to ask Potter.

She is sure that Potter wouldn't agree to anything she wants, not after she denied his request in the morning. Still, she takes a long breathe and walks towards Potter's classroom.

She knocks twice and Potter murmurs, "Come in." She opens the door and peers inside. The group consists of around twenty kids of around 11 year old. They look at her and smile, murmuring, "Good morning Mrs. Potter."

She smiles brightly and replies, "Good morning." and winks. She likes kids. She likes their innocent eyes and smiles.

XXXX

Harry stares at her with his mouth slightly open in shock. He wonders if she likes kids because he has never seen her smiling like this. Then she turns towards him and he still stares into her bright and sparkling eyes.

He averts his eyes only when she coughs and turns towards his students, "Please continue. I will back in a few minutes."

"Okay sir." They mutter in unison and he walks outside.

She looks at him blankly for the next few seconds, the smile gone and her eyes cautious.

"I want your permission for something." She murmurs after a few seconds and he stares at her. He had never thought that she would ever need his permission for something.

"Okay. What is it?" He asks and she starts, "I want to transform one of the rooms into my office. It will be more comfortable. I also need your permission to refurnish the manor. The furnishings are old and boring."

He stares at her for a few minutes in confusion. She looks at him with blank eyes.

"You need my permission because..." He trails off because he is genuinely confused. They could discuss this. They could discuss the areas that need to be refurnished and she can take any room she wants. Why does she need his permission at all.

She stares blankly at him for the next few seconds.

"This is your house so..." She trails off and he makes a face at her, "If you still haven't realized, Mrs. Draco Malfoy-Potter, you are my wife. This house belongs to both of us. Everything I have belongs to you too. You don't need my permission to do anything although I would appreciate it if you discuss the new furnishings with me. Doing all this by myself seemed so boring so I never bothered at all."

XXXX

Draco blinks in surprise and opens her mouth and then closes it. She only stares as he continues, his eyebrows raised, "You don't need my permission for anything at all. I would appreciate it if you would discuss things with me. I would like it if you do. Why, you have an equal right to my vault too."

"Okay." She murmurs because she has nothing to say. His green eyes are soft and so enchanting. Suddenly, she can't look away.

"Draco." He murmurs and she blinks. He is smiling at her, his eyes face amused and her cheeks feel warm, "Can I return to my class now or do you need to ask anything else. You only have to tell the goblins your name if you want to retrieve money from my vault."

"Okay." She whispers and he murmurs slowly, "Ohkay. So-" and presses their lips together in a quick kiss. It's so quick that she wonders if she had imagined it because he is already gone and she is staring at the closed door, her fingers on her lips. This has got to be the sweetest kiss she has ever received.

XXXX

The kiss has not left her mind ever since morning and she is rethinking her decision to call Seamus over, which is surprising in itself because she has never had such doubts before. That is why, she is sitting in her room and Potter is in their room. She doesn't know if he has eaten anything or not. She only knows that he didn't look at her when his classes were finished and he was walking towards their bedroom.

Someone knocks the door and she rushes to open it, wishing that it is Potter. It is Seamus and a frown graces her features and it is completely unreasonable because why would she even want Potter to visit her and throw Seamus out. Why would she be furious at Seamus for accepting to fuck her when he knows that she is married. Had he already known that she won't stop calling her lovers over even after marriage.

The idiot is smiling like a fool and she sneers at him before moving aside. She doesn't know why she is angry. She just is and her hands are sharp when she closes the door. At once, Seamus is on her back, his lips on her neck and murmuring, "So beautiful. I have missed this."

He turns her around and places his hands on her hips before pulling her close to him and pressing their lips together in a clumsy kiss. It feels so bloody wrong because Potter had kissed her in the morning. She is disgusted and irritated by this creature and she does what her instincts ask her to. She shoves him off. His hands that were groping and squeezing her urgently are on the floor and he stares at her in confusion and indignation.

"What the fuck-" He snarls and she snarls right back at him, "Get out, you clumsy idiot and don't show your filthy face again to me."

He stares at her, his mouth opened in shock and gets up. He is such big idiot that he attempts to seduce her again. Of course, he ends up disgusting her and she yells at him furiously before opening her door and throwing him out, "GET OUT."

He stares at her and she sneers at him before slamming the door on his face. The first thing she does is to run in her bathroom to brush her teeth. He tasted of alcohol and cigarette and she hates both. Perhaps that's the reason she threw him out. But she knows that she can no longer fool herself into making excuses for her stupid feelings that just won't go away, not now when she is living with the man and he doesn't like her, not the way she wants him to and this not working. It has only left her feeling disgusted with herself.

Definitely not, she thinks and sits in front of her large mirror after taking her shirt off and stares at herself. She closes her eyes and laments over her pathetic situation. This marriage is turning out to be a huge mistake.

XXXX

Harry is sitting on his couch. He has not eaten anything. Seamus's arrival had killed his appetite. He can only imagine what is going on inside her room. Somehow, it is unbearable and unthinkable to imagine anyone else touching her. It's a recent development. He has never felt such a loathing for anyone in his entire life. He wants to beat Seamus to a pulp. He wants to yell at him and call him names. He wants to break her door and grab Seamus's collar and throw him out of the house. He-

A thud interrupts his musings and he turns around to find Seamus on the floor in front of a furious Draco who slams the doors after yelling,"Get out". Harry gets up and walks towards the man and Seamus gets up on his feet before looking at him.

Harry glares at him and Seamus backs off, murmuring, "Not you as well."

"What?" Harry hisses, his eyes narrowed and Seamus muttered, "She has never done this. She is always the more eager one but today she won't let me touch her even. It was like I was disgusting her. Now you- you seem as if you are going to kill me just because I dared to touch her."

"Stop babbling and get lost." Harry snaps at Seamus and Seamus scurries off. Harry does not think over his words. He doesn't think over the fact that Draco's denial to let Seamus touch her is creating a strange fluttering in his stomach. He spends a few minutes in front of her closed doors, smiling stupidly. Only when he realizes that he is smiling without any reason, does he walk inside the room.

What his eyes fall over freezes him and the bulge of his pajamas becomes a bit more noticeable. She is sitting in front of her mirror, naked waist up. She is beautiful.

Then his eyes fall upon her shocked ones and fury creeps in. Doesn't she have any sense?

"Don't you have any bloody sense?" He snarls and stomps towards her after picking her shirt from her bed.

"Wha-" she starts and he pushes her shirt over her head to shut her up and snaps at her again, "Anybody could have walked in. Can't you lock the door before taking your bloody clothes off?"

She stares at him through the mirror, her eyes mesmerized because of something that he doesn't know.

"Tell me." He presses, "Why didn't you lock the door?" before placing his hands on the headrest of her beautiful chair.

XXXX

She stares at him because no man has ever done this before. They are always eager to get her clothes off, not bothering if she has locked the door.

"Tell me Draco." He presses furiously, his green eyes flashing with annoyance. She wonders if he knows that he is concerned for her.

She wants to tell him that it's not his business, that he should fuck off and that he shouldn't scold her. Instead, "I am sorry. I forgot.", slips her mouth.

"You forgot." He hisses, his green eyes narrowed, "Don't forget next time. I have students in this house most of the day and your clients will also be arriving now. I will beat them to a pulp if I notice them anywhere near your room so that they can catch you while you are changing."

She stares at him. He is panting in fury, his face red and his forehead sweating.

She swallows and murmurs, "I will take care now onwards. I am sorry." This is weird. She has never had anyone reacting like this because he doesn't want her to lose her dignity. He is making her look like a fool. Why hadn't she locked the door? Is she insane?

He takes a long breath before shaking his head. She is waiting for his eyes to stray towards her clothed breasts like they had earlier but they don't. He is angry and he just turns around before murmuring, "I will fix something for us. You have not taken dinner and you must be hungry."

"Have you eaten?" She asks and he shakes his head, frozen on her entryway, facing away from her and mutters, "No."

"Why?" She asks and he leaves, slamming her door loudly. She had not expected any answer anyways. She wonders if he himself even knows the answer.

XXXX

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	6. Leaving past behind

**_Chapter-6_ **

**_Leaving Past behind_**  

Harry prepared some sandwiches for them and is now sitting at the table waiting for Draco. He has also prepared some tea. He is literally starving and she has not come yet. Finally she comes, dressed in sleeping shorts and a loose top. She stands in front of the table for a few seconds and looks at the sandwiches. A yawn escapes her mouth and her silver eyes slide towards him.

She is looking bloody adorable and Harry looks at her with raised eyebrows when she walks towards him and stands behind him. Her hands drag his chair towards the back and he mutters, "I can sit somewhere else if you want to sit here."

"No. Thanks." She replies lazily and walks in front of him. After placing her mobile phone on the table, she straddles him. He is stunned and wonders why she is currently sitting on his thighs, her legs on either side of his hips and her hands around his neck. Her cheek that rests on his shoulder answers his question and he speaks, "Eat something first. You must be hungry."

"I want to sleep. I am tired." She replies and he thinks that this is nice. Perhaps marriage is nice because having her sleep on his shoulder is nice and oddly satisfying.

He moves a bit and picks up a sandwich for himself. He doesn't know about her but he is hungry. She hums a bit and settles comfortably on his lap. It's weird. He has fucked innumerable girls in many different ways but no one has ever relaxed in his lap. They are more interested in riding him. A peaceful silence settles around them and Harry munches his sandwich. She changes the position of her face and rests her other cheek in his shoulder.

He is on the verge of picking his second sandwich when her phone starts ringing.

"Who is it?" She mutters in annoyance and he peers at the screen.

"Victor Krum." He replies, his voice irritated and she mutters sleepily, "Set it on speaker."

He is surprised to listen this and wants to ask if Krum is her fuck buddy but the phone goes on ringing and he presses the pick button and sets it on speaker.

"Draco. Victor this side."

"Yes." She mutters sleepily and he replies, "Can we meet tonight? I miss you."

XXXX

His back stiffens and Draco is really irritated now. She is married for gods sake. Can they not just leave her alone.

"I am married." She snaps, her cheeks resting on Potter's strong shoulder. This is nice, she thinks and she would rather not disturb the peace.

"He doesn't have to know and anyways everyone knows that your marriage is sham." For some reason the words irritate her to no end and she snaps at the stupid man, "Its not sham. Don't call me again."

"But why-"

"Disconnect the phone Potter." She snaps at Potter this time who is listening to everything silently. He complies with her and disconnects the phone.

"Do you know how to block numbers. I don't know how." She asks sleepily and he replies, "Yes."

"Please block some numbers for me. Seamus, Blaise, Oliver and Neville." She whispers, her body tense. She wants to achieve two things by doing this. She wants him to know who she has fucked in the past and she also wants him to know that she doesn't want to have anything to do with them now. She knows that he will not follow her example and she will not be able to do anything to change his mind.

"Are you sure?" He asks, his voice soft and his hands on the small of her back. She thinks over his words. Is she sure. Can she finally accept that her feelings are not going to vanish? Can she? She can put a condition in front of him that he needs to leave other women too. It's just that she knows that he won't agree and she is not ready to face that kind of disappointment right now. 

"Yes." She whispers and the tension leaves his body. Suddenly, her head feels light. She had known that she had been tensed for the past few days. Perhaps father was right. She will have to visit him and thank him properly. She tightens her arms around Potter's neck and whispers, "I will change my number if they call me from other numbers."

"Okay." He whispers and continues, "Done. I have blocked them. Tell me if they disturb you. I will deal with them personally and I will talk to Sirius about them too. He has connections."

"Thank you." She whispers and actually means it because he is ready to clean her mess. That's more than she had wished for.

"Good night." She whispers and closes her eyes on his shoulder. It's nice, she thinks, to be able to sleep next to someone or in someone's arms with a reassurance that they won't tear your clothes apart while you are asleep because they are too horny. She only wishes that Potter can return her feelings. 

XXXX

She doesn't ask for any reassurance about his lovers and he doesn't give it. He doesn't think that he is ready to leave his old life behind and he doesn't know why she took such a step. He doesn't know why she wants to leave her past life behind. He doesn't want to make any false promises to her so he stays quiet and munches his sandwich.

"I am keeping yours in the fridge. You can eat them if you feel hungry later." He mutters and she nods on his shoulder. He tries to understand her reasons and fails and he is too frightened to talk about it. He is scared that she might want him to leave his casual fucking and stick to her only and he is not ready for that but he doesn't want her to leave him.

He is confused and irritated and terrified because of everything and she just sleeps on his shoulder, trusting him to let her sleep peacefully and he does just that. He doesn't disturb her at all. He doesn't squeeze her arse like he wants to. He doesn't touch her breasts because she is tired and soon she is snoring and he is staring at his empty plate after levitating her sandwiches in the fridge.

The only moment he disturbs her a bit is when he has to pick her up in his arms to carry her in their room.

She places her head on his chest and sleeps peacefully but sleep eludes him for a long period of time.

XXXX

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	7. Heartache

_**Chapter-7** _

_**Heartache** _

Draco opened her eyes and found Pot- Harry's chin close to her face. Her sleep was peaceful although she did not eaten anything last night. She is starving now though. She sits up and rubs her eyes. It's six A.M. and Potter is sleeping soundly. She sits up gently and peaks at his face. Realizing that she hasn't disturbed him, she smiles and leans over him to kiss his lips softly.

Even after she has kissed him, her lips linger on his and something aches inside her heart when the thought that he would most probably call one of his girlfriends in the evening comes in the forefront of her mind. When she opens her eyes after a few seconds, she finds green eyes gazing at her. They are sleepy and startled.

She is mortified to realize that her eyes are wet. She pulls back and whispers, "Good morning." To her utter horror, her voice breaks and she clears her throat before smiling at him and wiping his eyes, "Maybe something went into my eyes."

He is not convinced of course. He stares at her silently, his green eyes surprised and soft and sleepy. She can get used to this. She thinks. This sleepy creature is her husband and she likes waking up on his chest.

She averts her eyes because she is terrified that if she continues looking at him, tears will start streaming down her cheeks. She gets out of the bed and walks towards their bathroom to freshen up. A lone tear manages to betray her and fall down her cheeks. She ignores it of course. It is useless since Potter obviously doesn't care and she can no longer stay in denial anymore. She likes him very very much. In fact, she is falling in love with him. Marriage was a terrible idea. 

XXXX

Harry sighs and sits up, his back against the head board. He knows why she is crying but he is not ready for this kind of commitment. Today is Sunday and he doesn't have any lectures today. Sunday is always a relaxing day for him. Sometimes he fools around with Ron and Hermione and at other times, he just calls Tonks or Pansy over.

He has called Ginny over today. She will be coming in the evening.

Draco comes out, her face devoid of any shine that she had had just minutes ago. She smiles brightly at him and looks sexy in her short skirt and a black tank top. He smiles back and she crawls upon the bed towards him.

It's not really surprising when she lays her head on his lap and folds her knees. Her skirt falls down, showing off her beautiful legs. He stares at them, wishing to trace her smooth unblemished skin with his tongue. He imagines himself knelt between her folded knees, staring at her hot passage. He wants to taste it and hear her moan as he licks her most sensitive part with his tongue.

"I ensured that the door is closed." She whispers and he blinks. Her cheeks are red and her knees are still folded.

"You are beautiful." The words escape his mouth of their own accord and she turns crimson before a beautiful sweet smile graces her face.

"Thanks." She replies and he stares at her cleavage. Why does she have to dress like this. He wants to cup her breasts in his hands. He is already hard and her face is near her crotch. He wants to thrust into her mouth.

"Harry." she whispers and he blinks hard to control his raging hormones. Perhaps he will have to call Ginny early today.

"Yes." He replies, his hand on her forehead. He is itching to slide his hands inside her top and cup her breasts. He doesn't think that she would refuse but he knows that she won't appreciate it. So he keeps his hands to himself which is hard but he does it because - because well he doesn't know why.

"Let's go out today. It's Sunday and I am taking an off. Let's shop and eat out and then look for some curtains." She murmurs and he is so stupid that the first words that escape his mouth are, "Ginny is coming over in the evening."

Her face transforms completely for a complete second. Her eyes flash and her legs fall down. She straightens her skirt and looks at him, her smile back on her face once that second passes. Her smile is fake but she doesn't remove herself from his lap. In fact she turns around to rest her left ear on his thigh and looks at him. Her legs are joined together now. The skirt is hunched and her legs are on display once again.

"It's okay." She replies and he wants to slap himself because her eyes are dull once again he wants them to sparkle.

"Let's go. She is coming in the evening." He whispers and she nods, a very small and tight smile gracing her lips before getting up and turning away from him. As she opens the door and mumbles, "I will ask Blissy to fix something for us.", he stares helplessly at her, not knowing what to do.

XXXX

The day was good. She shopped for Harry and herself. She found out that he doesn't like shopping much. Then they had lunch in Harry's favorite restaurant. They came back an hour ago. It had been good and she had been content until she had seen the Weasley chit on their door step. She had retreated in their room silently, ignoring his whispers and attempts to talk to her. He had come in their room briefly to change and had looked at her for a few minutes. She had tried to concentrate on her novel instead of the fact that he was leaving to fuck someone else.

It's payback, she guesses and payback is a bitch. She had often wondered how it felt to wait for someone whom you love when you know that he is with some other woman. She has her answer now.

She blinks a couple of times because it is getting hard to focus through her blurry eyes.

XXXX

It had been monotonous. Ginny is beautiful and moans at the right places and has nice lips but she is not Draco. Nevertheless, he fucks her. Draco's dull eyes don't leave his mind and he is distracted throughout but he can't commit to Draco yet. He had not wanted to marry her. So, he calls Tonks after Ginny leaves and calls her over in the morning, just to prove to himself that he doesn't care.

After handing off, he walks towards their shared room. She is on the bed, her unblinking eyes fixed somewhere on the ceiling. But, as soon as, he enters and closes the door, her eyes fall upon him. She closes them and turns towards the other side.

The damage is done though because his feet are frozen on the door because he saw her red eyes. He saw her face drenched with tears. She was still. She was not sobbing but she was crying silently.

Harry doesn't know why he feels a lump in his throat.

A voice is screaming inside him to ask Tonks not to come over but he ignores it. He can't commit. Why should he commit.

Very silently, he walks towards their and bed and lays on it facing her back.

He touches her shoulder gently and tries to pull her towards him. He can't ignore the inexplicable urge to pull her in his arms so he tries but she does not budge. Her shoulders shake a bit which means that she is sobbing now.

No one has ever cried for him. No one at all and this is weird. He doesn't want to be responsible for her or anyone else.

But he can't just let her cry like this. Deep inside his heart, it hurts him and it is becoming impossible to ignore it now. Her shoulders shake again and he crawls towards her before wrapping an arm around her waist. She doesn't push him. A few seconds later, she covers his hands with her own.

A long time later, he hears her quiet snores and realizes that finally she has slept but sleep doesn't come easily to him.

He can't help but think if he has done a very mistake.

XXXX

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	8. Homeless and Alone

** _Chapter-8_ **

** _Homeless and Alone_ **

A knock on the door wakes Draco up. She sits up and yawns, her head pounding. She wants to sleep in. There is no specific potion that needs to be brewed and clients will be arriving in late afternoon. She is tired and now she is furious at whosoever has woken her up early in the morning.

Deciding to rant, she turns to look at the intruder but when she notices her cousin Tonks standing at the door, her hair pink at the moment, her heart pounds in her throat.

"Harry. Harry." She shakes Harry and he whines, "Let me sleep. My lectures are not until 12 today."

"Tonks is standing at our door and I would like to know why." She mutters flatly, already knowing the reason.

"To shag him. Has marriage turned you nuts, cousin." Tonks sings and Draco breathes deeply but doesn't answer her. By now, Harry has finally woken up and is now sitting with his back stiff and his eyes still sleepy. Draco pours a glass of water for him like she does daily and he drinks it. She places the glass back on her side table. Tonks's eyes follow her movements.

"Wait outside Tonks. I will be out in a few moments." Harry murmurs after a few tense seconds and Tonks walks out, closing the door behind her. He turns to look at Draco now.

"Don't shag her." Draco murmurs because she can't control the urge now, "I will do anything. Please just don't."

She is surprised at herself and by the looks of it, he is shocked as well.

"You knew that our marriage was not real. You knew that I would continue fucking others." He whispers and she wants to tell him that she hadn't known that she will fall in love with him. It had been difficult to accept that but eventually she had to.

She doesn't know when it happened. All she knows is that she loves him.

She takes a strangled breath and murmurs, "Just don't. Please. You can shag me instead."

He stares and stares, stunned speechless and she continues, "I will do anything and you can fuck me the way you want. Just don't shag others. I can't take it anymore. I tried but I just can't. I love you. Please just don't."

XXXX

Harry is so stunned that he just shakes his head and mutters after a few seconds, "This is not what we agreed to."

"We agreed to nothing. Why can't you stop sleeping with them when you have a beautiful wife." She whispers and he replies, "Why should I settle for one when I can have several."

Much later, he would slap himself and curse himself very creatively but right now, he simply gets up and gets ready, ignoring her tearful eyes. She is bloody sobbing silently and he is completely and utterly stunned. He had never imagined that she would ever cry for anything.

A part of his heart is screaming at him to stop but he ignores that part and walks out of their room, closing the room silently behind him. He doesn't understand why she is sobbing and why he is feeling the inexplicable urge to turn around and embrace her tightly.

He doesn't want to commit. He is not ready for such a huge commitment. This marriage was supposed to be sham like his mother's marriages had been. He had never wanted to bloody marry. It was all Sirius's fault. Why had he forced Harry to marry?

_You must go back. You must return before it's too late. She is crying and apparently she loves you, you dork._

_SHE IS CRYING BECAUSE OF YOU._

_IT'S NOT MY BLOODY FAULT._  He screams inside his mind and the part that was screaming at him tells him to turn back, that this is his last chance. He doesn't turn back. He keeps walking towards the room Tonks is entering before shaking his head to clear his mind.

He had not known that he was walking out of her life too.

XXXX

Draco wipes her eyes and then her nose. After that she stares at the walls. Potter has left. She begged him to stop but he didn't and he never will. Draco tried to tolerate it but now she can't. She is jealous of Tonks and every other girl whom he shags. She has to take a decision and she knows that the decision is going to be hard.

This is the reason she didn't want to fall in love. Love is complicated. Love is hard and love hurts like it is hurting now. Right at this moment he is shagging her and he will shag others as well and it will burn her.

So she closes her eyes and takes deep breathes. He can shag whosoever he wishes but she doesn't have to witness it. She gets out of the bed and changes into a short skirt and a top. She is not crying anymore because what's the point when he doesn't even care.

She takes out a trunk and starts packing her clothes. She doesn't want to leave anything that belongs to her in this house.

"Mistress, please don't leave." Draco jumps in surprise when she hears the elf squeak. She ignores her of course and continues packing, taking everything out of the wardrobe and throwing it in the trunk, her wand, her clothes, her quill, here books, everything.

"But mistress, this is being your house. You were wanting to renovate it."

For a few days, she had also thought that this house belonged to her. She had started dreaming about refurbishing it. She was wrong of course because this is not her house. It never was and it will never be. She wipes the stupid tears that won't stop falling.

She ignores the elf and closes the flap of her trunk before levitating it behind her.

"Please mistress. Master Harry will be devastated." The elf murmurs, her eyes wide and teary and Draco looks at her. The elf's eyes become wider, possibly because Draco's eyes are red-rimmed. She has been crying so much for the past few days. It's getting annoying.

She flicks her fingers on her face angrily to remove trace of any tears that have dried. She will not cry like a stupid teenager who has been betrayed by her boyfriend because Draco never had a boyfriend or a husband or a house or anyone to call hers.

When she is at the entryway, she turns around and looks at her bed. The elf is standing there, looking at her with huge wet eyes and Draco looks at the bed. It felt so good to share a bed with Harry. She got used to it. Apparently, Harry hadn't because he has no problems with sharing a bed with other girls.

That's what love does. She has no desire to sleep with anyone else now and isn't that the most annoying thing because she wants to pay him back by shagging her ex-lovers.

But she can't. She doesn't want to even though he hasn't fucked her. There is no way to pay him back and she hates it because she is feeling insulted and alone and- and- and- so so bad right now. She doesn't want to leave. This is her house isn't it? Does she even have a house? The prior one belonged to her father. She had to leave it because of marriage and this one belongs to Harry. She has to leave it because he is a bastard.

This is so bloody unfair. Why should she always have to leave. This is her room as well. This is her bed and Harry is hers. No-one other than her has a right to touch him.

Nevertheless, she stares at the little elf for a last time and turns around to walk out of the manor so that she can apparate.

Four minutes later find her in front of her father's house. It doesn't seem her house now. Isn't it strange.

She spent more than two decades in this house. She stares at the peacocks across the locked doors. They are beautiful and she spent hours gazing at them. She played in the gardens and she brewed in her lab. She ate with her parents in the dining room and she slept in her room.

Why doesn't it seem her home then.

She rings the bell and waits for her parents, her eyes wet. As expected, her father opens the door and her mother follows father. They stare at her.

"Draco, what's the matter?" Father asks and her eyes become wet again. There is a lump in her throat and she tries to speak through it, "Can I stay here for a few days? I will try to rent out an apartment as soon as possible."

Mother stares at her in shock and father stares at her with hard eyes. She waits for him to ask her to return to Potter's place. She waits and father doesn't say anything. They are still on the entryway. Mother's eyes are wet now though she is not sobbing. Father is looking at her with annoyed eyes.

"When did I say that this is not your home anymore Draco? Why will you rent out an apartment when you have a house." He mutters and Draco has no answer. She looks away from him and stares at the peacocks silently.

"Did he hit you? Is that why you are crying? Or did he hurt you in some other way?" Mother asks, her voice sharp. Her eyes are still wet.

"Did he touch you without your permission?" Father asks her and she looks at him once again.

"Because if he did so Draco, then I am sorry. I misjudged him. His parents are good people. It might not seem so to you but I studied with them."

Draco sighs hard and starts, "No, he didn't hurt me. Can I just stay here?"

"You don't need to ask that Draco? You are our only daughter and whatever we have, it belongs to you." Father mutters harshly and Draco looks at him.

"We are still your parents and we will always be. You are welcome over here whenever you want. We just want you to be happy." Mother whispers and Draco sighs again before sniffing, "I missed both of you."

Tears fall down her cheeks and she is horrified to realize that she is crying. This still doesn't feel like her home and she is so sad at the realization. She doesn't have a home anymore. She is homeless and alone. She has no friends, no husband, no home, nothing. She only has her profession but that isn't enough. 

She shouldn't have married at all.

Mother hugs her tightly and whispers, "Oh darling, we missed you too."

Father strokes her hair and she walks inside, still in her mother's arms. Needless to say, she is taken inside her own bed which feels alien to her. She lays down on her mother's lap on her old bed. Her father is sitting beside her, his hands stroking Draco's hair.

It's long time before she finally falls asleep.

XXXX

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	9. After two days

_**Chapter-9** _

_**After two days** _

"This is so absurd. You have been furious with me for the past few weeks and now you are finally talking to me not because I am your best friend but because Draco left this house." He snaps at Hermione who is sitting across him with Ron. Two days have passed since she left. The manor seemed too quiet, too empty, too lonely. So Harry did what he thought would fill the emptiness. He shagged, not that it did much good. As a last shot he has called Ginny today. She will arrive after his best friends leave.

He had owled Ron about what happened in the morning but he had not asked him to bring Hermione with him.

Harry had already known how she will react.

"I had already forgiven you for not inviting us and you know that. I had to go to France for a meeting. I returned this morning and then Ron told me about all this." She mutters and he glares at Ron who spreads his hands in defeat.

"I have to take a stand mate. You are not thinking at all. It's not fair on Draco."

Harry looks at Ron and then at Hermione before snapping in annoyance, "What is my fault. She just up and left. It's not like I asked her to leave."

"You were shagging some other girl in her home. How did you expect her to react? She begged you to stop but you still left. You can't even imagine what she must be going through right now. You practically rendered her homeless." She murmurs, her eyes concerned.

Harry makes a face at her before muttering, "She is at her father's home. How is she -"

" _This_  is her home. "

"Lucius's home is not her home anymore? "

Hermione sighs deeply and breathes before standing up. Harry can see that she is trying to control her fury but then she fails and yells at him "Merlin Harry, I can't argue with you. Do whatever you wish. I am leaving."

Before he can say a word, she apparates and Ron sighs before murmuring, "You can't say that I didn't try mate. Time will teach you, I suppose."

Even Ron doesn't give him even a moment to answer. He apparates and Harry stares at his fireplace silently. They had been trying to make him understand his mistake. He doesn't think that he has made any mistake. When they had got married, Draco had known that this marriage was sham. Why did she have to change so very suddenly. She was okay with shagging others just a few days back. Why did she have to fall in love with him. he doesn't want to commit.

But he doesn't understand why this manor seems so strange without her. He should just go back to his mother's place. He had only shifted over here for Draco.

" Harrrryyyy." Ginny calls him and he looks at the door. There she is, standing in a short skirt and a green top. He tries to smile but ends up grimacing instead.

Silently, he follows her into his room. The moment he closes the door, she  _attacks_  him. It feels like she is attacking him. The kiss that she presses on his lips is messy and clumsy.

While he goes with it, just letting her kiss him, Hermione's words flick in his mind. Why would Draco be homeless... but then he knows that -

"Hmmmm. Harry." Ginny moans and he is irritated at her for interrupting her musings. He is so irritated that he shoves her off very rudely and she falls on the floor, looking at him with hurt eyes.

"I am sorry but you have to leave. I am not interested." The words spill from his mouth. She stares at him in shock. He wonders if she had thought that he will divorce Draco and marry her instead. He wouldn't put it beyond Ginny.

He grimaces and walks towards his bathroom before muttering, "Just be gone."

It is selfish and rude but it is what it is. He is just not going to invite anyone now. There is point really. He will just return to his mother's place.

XXXX

"Honestly," Black starts, his voice annoyed, "I don't understand both of you and I can't believe that I am sitting here preaching about committments. Can you just get your act together for once and propose her Snape?"

Severus looks at him with narrowed eyes, "She is married to you. You-"

Black rolls his eyes and snaps at him, "This marriage is not real. I married her to stop this madness. It has got to stop. She loves you and now I know that Remus is a good man and he tried his best but he is a man after all and Lily is an extremely beautiful woman. Had I not been asexual, either I would have divorced her or shagged her."

Severus stares at Black in surprise. He had not expected this from the man.

"You have some responsibility towards your god-daughter. Are you even aware that she has returned to Lucius's manor? I spoke to Harry today after Lucius firecalled me. She is not telling anything to anyone, nor is Harry. He won't say anything at all. Merlin only knows what happened. If they don't want to stay together, it's better that they get divorced. But they are not saying anything at all." Black looks frustrated and Severus is surprised at how much the man has changed. Severus is not surprised at the turn of events It's nothing he hadn't expected. This was bound to happen, sooner or later.

"Why do you think I am not proposing Lily, Black?" Severus asks curiously, already knowing his answer.

Black stares at him as if saying,  _duh_  and mutters, "Well you must be scared of her answer. She loves you and I know that you love her too. She will not reject you."

Severus leans back for a few moments and looks at the man, his irritation growing.  _Honestly, how can he be so blind?_

"The former is true but the latter is not." Severus mutters after getting up. Black must be shocked because he doesn't say anything until Severus reaches the entryway.

"Well, then why don't you get married. You do love someone. Who is it?" Black asks, his voice irritated.

"An annoying idiot." Severus answers him, wishing to strangle the man. He places his hands on the door instead of just turning around and strangling him and mutters, "I will talk to her today. I will talk to Potter as well."

He slams the door furiously before apparating away to Lucius's manor.

XXXX

Two days have passed and Draco has tried everything to divert her attention. She is missing him and that's not the only problem. The main problem is that she doesn't want to live here anymore. It seems that this is not her house. It seems that she has no house. She has finally decided to rent out a place. She can turn the lower floor into her shop and she can live and brew on the upper floor.

So here she is, waiting for father.

"Father." She whispers when he arrives, "Mother."

Mother follows him and they sit on the couch across her.

"I want to rent out a place. I can turn the lower floor into a shop and I can brew and sleep on the upper floor." She speaks softly and looks at father for his reaction. Mother closes her eyes and leans back and father looks at Draco before suddenly looking mother.

"Pack our things Narcissa. Ask the elves to take care of this place when we are away." Father mutters and even mother stares at him.

"But father, I don't understand-" Draco starts, perplexed as to why father would pack their things when it's Draco who wants to leave.

"Well, you might not want to live at your  _father's_  place but we can live at our  _daughter's_  place." Father replies her calmly but his voice is rather sharp. Till now she had been selling her potions through owl orders or customers would just come at the manor and at Harry's place for the past few days.

"But there is no need. It will be small and-" She starts and mother sighs before cutting her off, "Then will you reconsider your decision. The shop part is fine but the brewing and living part is absolutely wrong Draco. You already have a home."

Draco looks at mother and then at father before averting her eyes and whispering, "I want to rent out a place."

"We can live with you in that place." Father says and Draco replies, "How will you take care of your business from there. It will be uncomfortable for you."

"If you can manage, then so can I." Father replies calmly and Draco stares at her parents in disbelief. Mother gets up and mutters, "I am going to pack everything Lucius."

"But mother-" Draco starts and father looks at Draco, "We can go and look at a few places. I will get ready in a few minutes and then we will leave."

This being said, father leaves and Draco stares at his back, gob-smacked. She had not expected this to happen. Father is not angry at her and nor is mother but they will be very uncomfortable in any place she rents out. She doesn't want that. This is her home. Of course it is and she knows that. There is no point of bringing her ego where it's not needed. There is no point of punishing her parents. She is their only daughter and they only want her to be happy. She doesn't want to hurt them. So she gets up and walks towards their room silently.

She knocks on the door and mother opens it.

"I won't move out." She whispers and mother smiles before letting her in. Father is sitting at the edge of the bed, his face unreadable. She sits on a chair an looks at him, "But I can at-least open a shop for selling my potions. I would be busy brewing of course so I would just hire someone to look after it."

Father looks at her for a few moments before nodding and replying, "You can just divorce him if you want. This is your house and it always will be." His eyes are unreadable like they always are. He has always been complicated but she knows that he loves her unconditionally. He always has.

Mother sits beside father and looks at her, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand why you would even think otherwise. Where is this even coming from?"

Draco doesn't reply. She stares at her hands silently.

"I want to talk to Draco alone. I am in the sitting room." She looks up, startled for a few moments. Her godfather is standing at the entryway, looking at her with sharp eyes. He knows why she has left Harry's place. It is written all over his face. She knows that he would visit Harry too after talking to her.

Draco nods and father exchanges a look with Severus before standing up and muttering, "I will be in my study." Father leaves silently and Draco knows that he is worried. Of course, he is.

"I am visiting Mrs. Parkinson today Draco. Firecall me over there if you need me." Mother whispers and kisses Draco's cheeks before leaving. Severus has left too and Draco follows him towards the sitting room, sighing impatiently. She wants to be left alone.

XXXX

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	10. Get Lost

_**Chapter-10** _

_**Get Lost** _

"Draco." Severus asks her and she feels a lump in her throat. She wants to answer him but suddenly she can't, not if she doesn't want to cry which she will if she attempts to speak through that stupid lump.

_Fuck you Potter. I hate you for reducing me to this._

She stays quiet and looks at her hands because she doesn't want to make a fool of herself.

"Draco. What has happened? Why did you leave your house? Why did you not tell me about this? I had to hear it from Black. I am your godfather." He murmurs, his voice calm and steady. Draco blinks the tears that have somehow gathered in his eyes away and clears her throat.

"He is a fucking bastard." She manages to choke out. Her voice is trembling. She clenches her fists in frustration. She doesn't want him to have this effect on her.

"What has he done this time?" Severus asks after leaning back on the couch.

"What had you expected? He is not even interested in me. He won't stop bloody fucking around. He brings-"

Draco's voice breaks again and she sighs deeply, trying to gain her composure. Severus stares at her. 

"Leave me alone. Just- just do me a favor. Ask dad and mum to let me take a place of my own. I had initially wanted to rent it out but I do have some savings to purchase a two floor flat. They start insisting on moving out with me. I just- I have this feeling now- this is not my home Severus and Potter's house is not my house too because I had to ultimately leave it. I want a house of my own. Even if it's small, it would be mine. Please, can you just talk to them for me. It's becoming suffocating for me to stay in this manor for even a moment longer." Having calmed down, she simply sounds irritated and stubborn now. 

Severus stares some more at her and Draco closes her eyes to maintain her patience because right now it's wearing thin and she can't yell at her godfather. She can't.

"Will you atleast let us assist you in purchasing a place for you Draco?" The voice belongs to her mother and Draco's eyes pop open.

Draco turns to look at her mum and dad who are now standing in front of the huge fire.

"Yes." She murmurs and gets up, "I will just go and pack then. I have a place in mind. It has two floors. I can live in the upper and I will convert the lower floor into my apothecary."

This being said, she walks towards her room, ignoring her father's sad eyes and her mother's pained ones. By the time, she turns to look at Severus, the man has already left.

She simply shrugs and walks inside her room.

XXXX

"Either bring her back or divorce her." He almost yells at Harry. He is actually only hissing but this is how Severus yells, "Because soon it will be too late and-"

"Like it's too late for you and Sirius?" Harry smirks when the man looks coldly at him.

"That's none of your business. You aren't my father or Black's. Like I was saying, either bring her back or divorce her. My goddaughter deserves better then tolerating a spoiled, insolent child like you."

"Oh! And Draco is the epitome of innocence isn't she? I didn't ask her to leave anyways. She can come back whenever she wants to. Why should I bring her back?" Harry hisses at him. He doesn't understand why everyone is preaching him. He hadn't asked Draco to leave, had he?

"All right." He mutters with greeted teeth and Severus stares at him, expecting an elaborate reply. So Harry yells furiously at him, "All right I will bring her back. Just get out of my face now."

Not even bothering to reply, the man leaves and Harry glares at nothing in particular before apparating to the place where the man had instructed him to.

He looks at the building in front of him. It's not very large. Two small floors and that's it. The lower one has a board of Draco's apothecary on it and he is guessing that she lives in the upper one.

He walks towards the door and walks in after knocking a bit.

A beautiful woman is sitting at the reception and Harry winks at her.

"Hello, beautiful." He whispers and smiles winningly at her. As usual, she is floored and smiles back before leaning a bit and whispering, "Hey."

"What are you doing over here?" A firm voice cuts whatever the blushing receptionist was going to say. Harry grimaces and turns towards the origin of the voice.

Draco is standing at the entry way, looking as immaculate as ever. He roves his eyes from her face to toe. She is looking beautiful in her gown. It is green and long with lace in the front.

"Potter." She snaps sharply at him and he blinks. The beautiful receptionist has turned quite white now. His eyes return to Draco's face. Her eyes are sharp and her lips are pinched in a frown. Her arms are crossed and she is looking pretty impatient.

"Kindly make it fast. I have to attend a couple of clients in a few minutes." She mutters and he walks close to her. She backs off a bit and he stops. "Just yesterday, you were sleeping on my lap. Now, you can't tolerate my closeness even."

She rolls her eyes and shifts a bit before muttering, "Come inside. You are terrifying Narcy." He walks inside and she closes the door.

But when he tries to stand close to her, she backs off again.

His fury mounts and he hisses at her, "Stop overreacting. We didn't agree to a monogamous marriage. This marriage was sham in the first place. Why are you insisting on-"

"What the hell is your problem? I am out of your hair, aren't I? I am not there to see you shagging your way through the entire wizarding world. Get lost. I am a busy woman." She hisses right back in his face. Her eyes are pools of molten silver. They are full of carefully restrained rage.

"I didn't ask you to fall in love with me." He snaps sharply and walks close to her. She backs off yet again. He moves closer and closer until her back hits the wall and there is no space between them. He presses their bodies together, his hardness pressing against her groin through the thick cloth of her gown. Her breasts press against his chest and her breathe grows labored.

He leans close to her lips and when there is only a hairbreadth distance between their lips, he whispers, "Come back to your own house or-"

"Or" She whispers softly, her eyes gazing at him with excruciating hope in them.

"-Or divorce me and set me free. I will not accept this sham of a marriage because you are being a bitch." He replies, his eyes boring into hers. Even to himself, his words seem too harsh. The little bit of hope that he had witnessed in her eyes a second back vanishes and is replaced by agony.

Her lips tremble and she shoves him with such a force that he falls down on his arse.

XXXX

"If you think that I will let you take advantage of the fact that we are married and let you fool around with me, you are very much mistaken." Draco replies and her heart is burning. It hurts. His words hurt. That he doesn't give a damn as to whether she stays in his life or not hurts.

But it's enough, isn't it.

She can't take it. She can't watch him shag others. She has never been that kind of woman. She didn't ask for this. She didn't want to fall for this man.

But she has to take a stand now. She can't let this go forever. She can't let him shatter her every-time he is in front of her with a few words so that she is left to gather pieces after he leaves.

"All right. I will owl the divorce papers, first thing tomorrow. Now leave." She mutters and turns around to gaze at the huge fireplace, her hands crossed around her chest. Anything is better than looking at him so that he can notice the agony she is going through.

It's silent for a few moments after that and that's why she thinks that he has left. But then his hands wraps around her waist and his lips are on the hollow of her throat and her back is pressed against his chest and merlin, it's excruciating and wonderful at the same time.

"Just come back. We can have so much fun together." He whispers and nips the sensitive skin of her throat.

She closes her eyes and stifles her moan. She controls the urge to lean against his strong chest and mutters, "Leave Potter. You have said enough, you despicable man. Leave me alone. I will send the papers to you. Don't show your face to me ever again."

His hands cup her breasts and even through the gown, it's wonderful. Bloody merlin, she has never felt like this with anyone.

"Potter." She moans very softly and he kneads her breasts.

"You are beautiful. Come back." He whispers, his lips soft on her neck, "I want to fuck you right here, you know. You are completely irresistible." She had really wanted to shag him a couple of days back but now she doesn't. She doesn't want to be his fuck toy and she won't no matter how much she loves him. She just won't. The thought that she is his fucktoy is so disgusting and painful that it kills her entire mood and she turns around before shoving him again.

"LEAVE. I WON"T BE YOUR LITTLE FUCKTOY." She screams at him, her body shaking with fury. He stares at her with shocked green eyes.

"Listen to me-" He starts and she yells again, "LEAVE. JUST LEAVE."

"All right I am leaving. We will talk when you are being reasonable."

"There will be no talking Potter. I will send the papers and that will be it." She mutters and walks forward before shoving him repeatedly until he is out of her lab.

After that, she closes the door and leans against it before sliding down on the floor, her hands on her face, tears streaming down her eyes.

XXXX

Please review. Please.


	11. A revelation

**_Chapter-11_ **

**_A revelation_ **

Harry wakes up to an owl tapping insistently on his window. Even his elves hate him now. They do the cleaning and cooking but they don't go out of their way for Harry.

TAP TAP TAP

The owl continues tapping and Harry mumbles sleepily, "Wait." before flicking his fingers towards the window. The owl flies in and drops an envelope on his bed before settling down beside it.

With a jerk Harry remembers Draco's promise to send divorce papers to him. He glares at the envelope. He had intended to threaten her. He didn't want to divorce her at all. He wants her back.

All this is very complicated for him to understand. On the one hand, he doesn't want to commit. He doesn't believe in marriages or love or such.

On the other hand, he doesn't want to divorce her. His heart doesn't allow him to sign the papers. So he does the first thing that comes into his mind. He opens the envelope and takes out the papers before tearing them in small pieces. After that, he placed the bits of papers in the envelope and sealed it before placing the envelope in front of the owl.

This being done, he leans back against the headboard, his phone in his hand. The owl flies away.

XXXX

Draco changed her receptionist in the morning. She has employed a young boy this time. He is around sixteen years old and is working to earn some pocket money.

She woke up early today to brew Polyjuice potion. A couple of people are coming to place a large order of the said potion. However the first thing she did was to send the divorce papers to him. She really needs to divorce him if she wants him to stay away from her at all.

She is about the light the cauldron when the owl who had gone to deliver the papers to him returns, an envelope in it's mouth. It drops the envelope and flies away.

Full of anticipation, she opens the envelope and her jaw falls in shock when bits of the papers drop on the floor.

Outraged at the audacity of the man, she accios the duplicate copy of the papers and apparates to his house. A few days ago, she had considered hers too. For a couple of minutes, she just stands there and stares at the huge manor.

After taking a deep breath, she walks inside, her steps determined and angry. She doesn't even have to pound on the door. The door opens by itself and she enters inside. He is sitting on the couch, his head in Pansy's lap.

Her stomach clenches when the woman places a strawberry between his lips and he takes her fingers inside his mouth along with the fruit.

She throws the papers on his stomach and avoids Pansy's face.

"Sign the papers. You don't even need me." She snarls at him. He only looks at her and sits up. Pansy gets up, winks at her and leaves them alone.

"I am not signing them. Do whatever you wish." He mutters and lays down on the sofa again, his head on the arm rest this time as he looks at her.

She glares at him as the papers land in her hand again.

"You don't want to commit to me. Why don't you just let me leave you be? Just yesterday you told me that you wanted a divorce."

He ignores her and stares at the ceiling silently. She takes a moment to really look at him. He is in a blue jean and white shirt. His hand is beneath his head and his face is blank. He looks like an Adonis.

"Potter." She hisses, annoyed.

"I won't divorce you." He mutters. His voice is cold and steeled.

She is so furious that she has to close her eyes to prevent herself from screaming at him.

"Will you commit to me then?" She asks him, her voice barely controlled.

"No." The reply comes in a heartbeat and she simply stares at him, completely and utterly gob-smacked.

"Why are you trapping me in this limbo?"Her hands are trembling. Her patience is worn out and he is still bloody ignoring her.

"Trap. You think that this is a trap." He mutters and finally finally looks at her. His eyes are blank. He is not giving anything away.

"Yes. I want a divorce."

"Well, I don't." He mutters and resumes his ceiling staring. She doesn't understand. If he wants her, then why doesn't he agree to stay in a monogamous relationship?

"I won't live here, divorced or not." She mutters, her voice firm and her crossed on her chest. He stares at her, his eyes unreadable before murmuring, "This is your house as well. You don't need to live somewhere else. I am your husband and you should live here with me. I shifted here just for you."

She stares at him, unable to understand. He seems so sincere, so honest. It's like he really doesn't see it.

"It's not really your house. Technically it belongs to your father and I can't make you understand. Why should I invest so much time on you? A very few days have elapsed since our marriage. I don't want to understand you. My life was good before my parents trapped me with you. I want to be released. Fucking release me."

A moment, Draco realizes what she has said. Potter is staring at her, astonished. His eyes are so sad and Draco's heart clenches. She doesn't want to feel anything for him. She doesn't want to feel anything for anyone.

"I- I had never wanted to be in a long term relationship. I have to fulfill my dreams and I don't have time to understand you. Just release me." She continues, her voice soft and pleading. If she agrees to stay in this sham of a marriage with him, he will burn her. She is sure that he will. He doesn't love her. He doesn't love anyone. She doesn't think that he is capable of loving. She doesn't want to invest so much time on him.

"No. I won't divorce you." He says, his eyes steeled and determined, "You are not going anywhere. You will stay here with me."

"You bastard." She hissed furiously and he simply ignored her, staring somewhere at the wall in front of him.

Body shaking and face red, she stomps outside, ignoring his cold, "Don't leave." and apparates in front of father's manor.

"Open the door." She screams and pounds on the front door. A moment later, it's opened by her father. His delighted eyes transform into panicked ones as soon as he really looks at her.

"He is not divorcing me. I want a divorce."

"Draco maybe you should come in." It's Severus and she is so relieved that he is here.

"I am not coming in. I want a divorce from him. I have work to do and I can't waste time on him."

She must be a sight to see. Her chest is heaving and she has literally never been so bloody angry in her entire life.

"I don't understand what you saw in him. He is just a bloody art teacher living on his father's earnings." She screams, still at the entryway, her hands balled into fists.

Father stares incredulously at her.

"You don't know. He never told you. I can't believe this." Severus mutters, shock coloring his voice. His eyes are wide with shock.

"What don't I know?" Draco mutters, her voice low for once.

"Potters and Sons is his company. He started it from scratch. James Potter has his own Quidditich academy." Father mutters and she breathes hard.

She is so stunned that she finally enters inside.

"He had taken a leave and appointed someone on his behalf for a few weeks Draco. Black told me." Severus said and Draco stared some more, her heart racing.

"A businessman. Potter. You have got to be kidding me. All he does is laze around and take that art class of his."

"It's one of his hobbies and usually he takes classes on Sunday. His company is famous in both muggle and magical world Draco. He had started it straight out of Hogwarts. Took money from Black."

"I- I don't care. Businessman or not. I want a divorce from him." She murmurs and looks straight at her father, "You will get me out of this mess now. I don't care about him or his money."

"All right. Let's go then. We will stop at Black's place first though." Father replied solemnly.

"Okay." Draco said and together they walked out of the Malfoy manor and apparated in front of black's residence.

XXXX


	12. Immaterial

** _Chapter-12_ **   
** _Immaterial_ **

"Are you even listening to us Potter?" Snape growls quietly and Harry rolls his eyes before flicking the pages of his file.

"I am busy." He replies honestly. He is behind work and he can't afford won't any more time.

"Mr. Potter." Lucius drawls arrogantly. Harry ignores him as well. He is no longer the boy whom Lucius can intimidate with a simple glare.

"I had thought that you will-" He continued in a quiet voice and this time Harry does look at him and cuts him off haughtily, "You had thought that your daughter will have a 'happily ever after' with me, eh?"

"Well, I hadn't-"

But Harry doesn't let him speak. He glares into his silver eyes and snarls, "As impossible as it is, I am still trying, ain't I?"

"Trying by inviting other women to your bed, Harry?" This time it's Sirius who mutters these words. He looks at him and then at Draco who is standing quietly, her eyes as cold as ice and her lips pressed in a straight line.

"We never agreed to a monogamous marriage. She knew-"

"You told me yesterday that I have two options. Either I should divorce you or I should come back. I am setting you free. Just fucking leave me alone, will you?" She hisses, her eyes glaring venomously at him.

He simply returns to his papers. Only a moment passes when Draco's finely manicured fingers appear in front of him and take his papers away.

"Just give-" He starts but she doesn't waste time. She tears the papers in small bits and pieces and throws them in the fireplace.

The subsequent silence in the room is deafening. His eyes that had followed the papers and had stayed there until they had disappeared flicker towards Draco.

"That was out of place Draco." Surprisingly, it's Lucius who murmurs this. He seems shocked. He himself is a business man. He understands the importance of files. Of course Draco doesn't.

Very slowly, Harry's fury rises. At first, he tries squash it but then it becomes impossible and he stands up before snarling angrily, "You bloody shit, how dare you? Not everyone is bloody born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Some people do work hard for what they want in life."

"Watch your mouth Potter." Snape hisses and Harry ignores the man.

"Harry, you are going to regret this." Sirius murmurs, leant against a wall. His godfather's eyes are calm unlike others. It's like he knows what is about to happen.

A second after Draco's fingers hold his collar, Harry realizes that the woman is standing in front of him and spins his face to look at her. She pulls his collar and hisses, her eyes blazing, "What do you mean? I worked hard and am a potions mistress today. You-"

"What you earn is not enough to even purchase a small flat for yourself." He mocks her. Her fingers loosen on his collar and she stares at him with a vulnerability he had never known she had.

"I purchased that flat from my earnings." She whispers and he throws a retort, "You have just one floor to live. Such a luxurious house, isn't it?"

"I am happy in my flat, Potter. I want a divorce from you, not your bloody manor or your money." She murmurs, her hands resting beside her now.

Her eyes are suspiciously wet and that's when he cools down. He realizes that he has hit a nerve.

"I am not divorcing you. Do whatever you wish." He replies and turns around to settle down on the couch. Everyone in the room except his godfather is angry. Sirius looks sad though. He is looking piteously at Harry.

"You are committing Lily's mistakes Harry." He says and Harry stares at him until Snape echoes him, "Yes, you are."

"Draco, you don't need to live here even if he is not divorcing you. It doesn't matter. You can live with us-"

"No, father. I am going to live in my flat. Even if it's small, it's mine. I am happy to live there." Draco replies and turns around to leave. Harry doesn't quite understand why she is being so stubborn.

"You will be here by tomorrow. I will do whatever I have to, to bring you back. It's better if you come by yourself." Harry says when Draco is at the doorway.

She turns around and stares at him, "All this for satisfying your huge ego?"

"I don't want you to lose your customers. But I will open a potions division in Potters and sons if you don't come back. You can work from here. You had planned on doing it initially." He says. He doesn't want her to go.

"Mr. Potter, please be reasonable." Lucius starts and Harry dismisses him off, "Please mind your own business. Stop intervening."

"She is my daughter." He hisses furiously and Harry hisses right back, "She is my legally wedded wife. Unless you want me to get all of you except my dear wife imprisoned for trespassing my property, you will get you."

"Don't talk to my father like that." She says and he looks blankly at her before replying, "Ask them to leave. I don't want them here."

Their eyes meet and she takes a deep breath and as she does that, her eyes shift. The fury is replaced by resignation.

"Please leave." She simply murmurs and Harry stares. He expected her to protest.

"But Draco-" Lucius starts and she cuts him off, "Please just leave."

One by one everyone leaves and Harry simply sits on the couch waiting for Draco's next move.

He is surprised when she looks at him and speaks out, "Please have your elf bring my things from my flat."

"She is your elf too." He argues.

She looks at him for a few moments. In these few moments, she really looks so defeated that his heart clenches. He had just wanted her to stay. He hadn't wanted to hurt her.

"I have nothing except that flat to call my own Potter. I will live here as a guest until you permit me to leave." She answers him bluntly.

"You are my wife and what's mine is yours too. Don't be ridiculous. You had said that you wanted to renovate our house. Why are you behaving like this? How does it matter that I have girlfriends. You were fine with my lifestyle earlier." He protests.

"You are mistaken. Nothing you own is mine. It's yours and will remain yours. I am tired and will retire to my room." She says.

"It's morning." He argues, "Surely you have things to do. You don't usually rest at this time of the day."

"It's doesn't matter really. What I earn in a day is equal to what you earn in half an hour. Although, if you are commanding me to work in the capacity of my husband, I will oblige you and retire to my potions lab instead." She is looking at him coolly now. Her eyes don't hold any anger or even sadness. She is just resigned.

"Of course not. Why will I command you? I just thought that it was what you wanted."

"Can I just retire now? It doesn't matter what I want. It didn't matter to father and it doesn't matter to you." She asks.

He swallows, "You are overreacting."

"I ain't." She starts walking towards left.

"Surely you will sleep in our bedroom, not in the master bedroom." He calls.

"Okay." She replies blankly and Changes her direction, leaving a very frustrated and confused Harry Potter in her wake.

Xxxx


	13. Solicitor Tom Riddle

A/N: I have edited chapter-1. You might want to read it. I have edited bits and pieces in other chapters too. Also, I have no legal knowledge of divorce proceedings.

**_Chapter-13_ **

**_Solicitor Tom Riddle_ **

Once inside the room, Draco finally breathes deeply and slowly. How dare he? It's true that she doesn't earn anything close to what he does or father does but Draco has never cared about this fact. She earns enough to feed herself. She doesn't need him for his money. She loves him, yes and she has made enough of a fool of herself.

Never in her life has she cried. If he thinks that she will comply with whatever he wants, he is sorely mistaken. She didn't protest against anything because there was no point. Had she left, he won't have let her live in peace.

As she relives his words over and over in her mind, her rage mounts to an unbearable level. She casts the strongest silencing charm she knows before snarling, "HOW DARE HE?".

Vase kept on the side table of the bed shatters and so does the mirror.

"Damn you Potter." She stomps towards the bed. She sits down on the edge and glares at the floor. How dare he insult her like this?

She shouldn't have agreed to this stupid marriage at all. She had agreed because she had been naive enough to hope that somewhere in his heart, he did like her and perhaps that fondness will turn into love. She had thought that she will be able to wait for him to return her feelings. Apparently not. How could she tolerate all this? She has never felt so bloody suffocated in her life. Why should she have to bear his infidelity. Either he is too stupid to understand this or he just wants her to suffer.

Either ways, she neither has the patience nor time for this. She simply can't get his words out of her mind. She doesn't want his money or anything that belongs to him, not even his love if it comes with a condition of tolerating his girlfriends.

She doesn't want to antagonize him, atleast not until she has contacted her best friend who is also a solicitor.

"Blissy." She calls and the elf appears in front of her. The little elf squeaks and staggers when she looks at Draco's face. Draco knows that she must be looking terrifying. She definitely feels murderous enough to kill someone. Who does that man think he is to insult Draco and then command her to stay in their room as if her own decisions and wishes don't matter.

"Mistress Draco, please be forgiving master Harry."

"You will stay in your limits Blissy. Don't force me to punish you. You will do as I say and if you don't, you will be ready to face repercussions." Draco hisses softly and the elf stares at her, trembling all over. Draco is too furious to regret her words. Maybe when she has calmed down a bit, she will call the elf and apologize but right now, she simply continues, "I am going to meet my good friend, Tom Riddle and you will tell master Harry that I don't know when I will return although I will have lunch over here."

"Yes, mistress Draco."

"You will tell him that I will bring him along and you will prepare the meals accordingly. He will stay with us for the next few days." Draco mutters sternly.

"Yes, mistress Draco." The elf says and Draco dismisses her after a soft, "Prepare Italian spaghetti with meet balls in main course and apple pie bliss in dessert. Ask your master to open Chateau Petrus Pomerol today. Prepare the other master bedroom for Mr. Riddle."

"But Mistress Draco, there are guest rooms-"

"You will not argue with me and will do exactly as I say, Blissy. Am I understood?" She murmurs very coldly. Blissy literally trembles before bowing, "Yes Mistress Draco."

Blissy leaves and Draco breathes before walking towards the fireplace and snapping, "Riddle Manor, Paris."

XXXX

"Why are you trembling Blissy?" Harry asks. She has been stammering constantly for the past fifteen minutes now. Harry has not understood a single word that she has said.

"Mistress Draco is bringing her good friend, Mr. Tom Riddle along. She went through the bedroom's fireplace. She wants Master Harry to open Chateau Petr- ch- Blissy is not being able to remember the name of the wine."

Harry stares at the elf in shock. Why is Draco bringing that man here, in his home? Why will he open such an expensive wine for Riddle? He hates Riddle.

"I understand. What else did she say?"

"She asked Blissy to get the other master bedroom ready and that Mr. Riddle will stay here for some days. Blissy is to prepare a special meal for Mr. Riddle. Blissy is being going to get lunch ready."

"Did she say when she will be back?" Harry asks, his voice a bit louder.

"She said that she didn't know but she will have lunch over here."

This being said, Blissy leaves and Harry is left staring at the floor. He can't believe the audacity of that woman. Shouldn't she have spoken to him about it? Most importantly, he knows that Tom Riddle is a very good solicitor. He doesn't want Draco to take that man's help with the bloody divorce she wants.

"Master Harry, that special wine-"

"I am not opening one of my finest wines for him." He snarls and Blissy who scurries off towards the kitchen. He stands up and retreats to his study, grumbling furiously under his breath. There is no way in hell he is allowing Draco to let Riddle stay here.

XXXX

"Hahahahahaha. I don't bloody believe it."

Draco glares venomously at his red-cheeked best friend. An hour has passed since she arrived here and told him everything that had happened. He has been laughing almost constantly for the past five minutes and his blue eyes are twinkling with mirth. His muscled and strong body is bent over as he laughs his heart out.

"If you are done laughing at my expense, can we sit down and discuss this? I need your help." She snaps at him and he sits down, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down.

"This isn't funny."

"Oh! But it is. The great ice princess crying like a lovesick teenager. I wish I could see that." He snorts and Draco glares menacingly, "You want to see me crying, you twat."

"I am sure you look adorable." He says and hands over a cup of coffee to her. She takes it and he sits beside her, leant back against the couch.

"So what did you do after Severus left?" He asks curiously and she replies, "I purchased a small flat and he came to visit me. I am assuming that he was forced by Severus or his godfather. He gave me an option to divorce him but I knew that it wasn't possible before atleast a year elapsed so I -"

She stops speaking and looks at her hands. He stares at her. His eyes are devoid of the humor they previously held.

"You actually bribed someone to get your marriage certificate modified... are you nuts? It's a punishable offense." He mutters.

She mumbles, her cheeks red from mortification, "I was desperate but he just tore the papers apart so don't yell at me, allright? Nothing happened."

After staying silent for two minutes, he licks his lips before starting, "Divorce is not possible until one year elapses. Can you wait that long? Do you need time to think it over?"

She sighs and replies, "I want out."

"Well, then your last resort is Annulment. You can file a petition for annulment of your marriage." He states in a steady voice and Draco blinks at him. Why had she not thought about this earlier?

"On what grounds. I did agree to the marriage Tom. Father asked me and I agreed." She murmurs and he smirks, "No-one knows this except your parents and yourself."

Draco blinks again and slowly her lips upturn into a smile. It's a sad smile and Tom leans forward to embrace her. He has always known about her crush on Potter.

"It will be easier if he doesn't contest the annulment though. We have to convince him that the annulment is perfect for both of you." He murmurs softly.

"Come back with me. Maybe we can convince him that we are together and maybe then he will back off." She replies, "I have already asked Blissy to get your room ready. I miss you. Come back."

"You know why I left at the first place Draco." He whispers, his chin on Draco's shoulders.

"I know. I have decided to quit the casual dating thing. It seems that you were right. I was in a denial. Dating is not going to change anything." She mutters, "I just want to get rid of this marriage and I really really do miss you Tom. It's been a long time since we did something together. Come back with me. You have a house in Britain and an office too."

"All right." He murmurs and she stays in his warm and strong arms for a long time before finally getting up and flooing over back to her manor.

XXXX


	14. Unworthy

_ **Chapter-14** _

_ **Unworthy** _

"I am not your mistress. You will address me as madame, not mistress." Draco's shrill voice brings Harry out of his thoughts. He was immersed in the file of the mexican merger he had done just last month. The revenue has increased substantially. All in all it was a profitable decision.

"But mistress-" Blissy squeaks in terror and Harry sighs before getting up.

Draco interrupts Blissy, "No buts. I am not and will never be your mistress. I am being forced to stay here. Is this understood Blissy?" Her voice is becoming louder and more shrill by the second.

"Draco." Harry is just about to open the door when he hears _his_  voice. He had forgotten that Draco was bringing him along with her.

"Calm down. It's not her fault." His voice is as melodious as it was at Hogwarts and it makes Harry as sick as it did back in school.

"Why? Why should I calm down? He is bloody forcing me and I was a fool to cry- _to cry_  over him Tom. Can you imagine me crying? I am so embarrassed and this stupid elf keeps on reminding me of my biggest mistake ever." Draco snaps furiously.

"Will you just calm down for a minute? It's enough. Blissy is doing her duty. Her duty is towards Potter and she has to obey her master." Tom replies and Harry literally wants to puke.

"I asked him to open your favorite wine but did he listen to me. No he didn't." She continues and Harry realizes that he he is really very angry now. Draco has calmed down a bit. This is nothing new. When they were at school, Riddle had this effect on Draco even then.

Right now, though he hates Riddle's influence on Draco. He shouldn't though, should he, not when he has multiple bed partners.

"It's okay. We will have dinner outside and then we can have that wine."

"All right." She replies and then continues sharply, "Have you set the table or shall I just leave."

Blissy squeaks, "Blissy has served the dishes."

Draco's doesn't reply. The only sound Harry hears is of a couple of chairs being dragged.

Harry opens the door and leans against the wall beside his closed door and waits for Draco to call him. It's basic courtesy isn't it. So he waits but she doesn't call him. He waits some more but then they just starts eating. They are sitting together. He could have seated across her. But no, he is sitting beside her. Harry detests Riddle more than he ever has before.

A few moments later, Harry decides that she won't call him so he walks towards them. The scene he walks upon is quite intimate. Riddle is feeding spaghetti to her and Harry finds himself wondering whose spoon it is. As he watches Draco laughing and holding Riddle's wrist to help him feed her, Harry's blood boils.

He clears his throat and for a moment, Draco is so startled that the spoon is on the verge of falling. But then the moment passes and Draco smiles at Riddle.

XXXX

"Thank you." Draco murmurs, smiling at Tom. Potter's cheeks are red and his eyes are burning. He is looking handsome and he is really very angry but she realizes that she doesn't care. He doesn't love her. All he cares about is that she is his wife though Draco doubts that he knows what a marriage entails.

Draco has spent her entire life with Tom. When they were kids, they spent each waking moment together. When they were kids, they shared all their toys and when they grew up, they shared all their secrets. This is nothing new really. Tom has fed her millions of times. Her parents know and her friends know. Potter doesn't and Draco doesn't feel that it's her responsibility to let him know. Had they been like a normal couple, she would have maintained a distance from Tom but now she doesn't want to. Maybe, she is doing this just out of spite but she has just stopped caring.

He settles down across Draco and Tom murmurs, "Maybe I should-", attempting to stand up. His eyes are cautious.

"No, no you shouldn't." Draco shakes her head and covers his hand with hers before saying, "No, you shouldn't. We didn't agree upon a monogamous relationship, not that you are my boyfriend but if he can invite his girlfriends inside his bedroom, I can invite my best friend in this house."

"Oh! and your best friend is in a habit of feeding you. You really want me to believe that there is absolutely nothing going on between both of you." Potter murmurs in a low voice. He wants to scare her off.

The fact that he thinks that he can scare her off is insulting. She snorts at him before drawling, "Do I look like I care Potter?" He glares at her, his eyes wide with unadulterated fury.

Then she turns towards Tom. He is sipping his juice quietly as if he can't hear what they are talking about. Her hand is still on Tom's. Potter is glaring at it. She squeezes Tom's hand twice before letting it go. Tom places his juice on the table between them.

"Is it good?" She asks because it's cranberry juice and she has never tried it.

"Yes." He replies and resumes eating his lunch. She picks his glass and takes a sip before mumbling, "Yes, it's delicious."

Potter's fingers are clenched tightly. He is glaring at his empty plate.

Draco takes a larger sip this time and enjoys herself when Potter literally trembles with fury.

She places the glass on the table and instantly Tom reaches for it. The moment he takes a small sip, a glass placed on the other side of the table starts shaking. It's Potter's magic. She knows that it is. He thinks that he can scare Tom off. She snorts again. The spare plates and bowl start shaking too.

Tom murmurs, "The elf is good. She should be rewarded. The food is delicious."

"Hmmmm." She replies guilty over her prior outburst. She shouldn't take it out on Blissy.

Tom waves his fingers lazily at the crockery and as suddenly as it had started shaking, it stops. Potter's eyes snap at them.

Tom is sitting back, his arms crossed, smirking at Potter. The green eyed man joins two and two and grits his teeth in annoyance.

"You must control your magic." Tom drawls and stands up.

"I am going to set my office Draco. Are you coming?" He asks and Draco nods, smiling at him. She is glad that she doesn't have to spend her day here, in presence of this wretched man. She has a lab there as well. They had decided to build it when Tom had purchased the place. She had paid half amount because her lab constituted of half of the building. Tom had refused but she had not budged from her decision.

At the end, he had agreed and Draco had paid him in installments. When Tom had left, there had been no point of working there. It had made her miss so much that she had just locked off the building and continued brewing at the manor.

"Yes. I will pay a visit to my receptionist at the apothecary too." She murmurs and stands up.

She knows that Potter is waiting for her to say something to him, to atleast acknowledge that he exists but she has given up on this man. A man who can go as far as insulting her in front of their relatives is not worth her attention and she won't let him manipulate her feelings to suit himself.

She walks off, talking about this and that until they reach the main door. Then she simply closes the door behind herself, not bothering to even glance at Potter for one last time.

This being done, they apparate, landing just out of the magnificent two-story house they had taken years ago.

XXXX


	15. Possesiveness

**_Chapter-15_ **

**_Possesiveness_ **

Harry spent the rest of the day fuming at Draco's behavior. He waited patiently for his wife to return. For the first couple of hours, he read some files and called John to discuss about the clients from Bulgaria. The next couple of couples were spent in studying the new product lines he could introduce this year. Then began his pacing. One part of his mind told him that he should simply send Blissy to her. Then he remembered that she did have a mobile phone. So he stared at his phone and searched her phone number.

At the last moment he changed his mind. She should call him and tell him if she is going to be late. He did remember that they were going to have dinner outside. There were still quite a number of hours before dinner. They ought to return before that.

So he sat down on his bed and started going through the new product lines once again. Another hour passed and by then his head had started pounding. He realized that there was no point of waiting anymore. He was frustrated and so he decided to call Pansy up. She was the only girl among his ex-girlfriends who was bearable. He wanted to distract his mind.

That is why he is currently sitting in his living room on the couch with her head in his lap.

"So Riddle is back, eh?" She asks. He nods, his head stroking her belly. In totality, six hours have passed since she left. Harry has given up the hope of her returning before dinner now.

"Why are you so upset though?" Pansy asks and he makes a face, "I am not upset. Why will I be upset?"

"Harry darling, I can clearly see that her friendship with Riddle is bothering you. I will have you know that he has been love with her since the time he didn't even know the meaning of love. What I don't understand is that why are you frustrated when you don't even love her. You-" A sudden and loud laughter stops Pansy mid-speech. Two seconds later the main door opens and Draco enters inside with Riddle. Her smile falters when her eyes fall upon him.

"Get a room Potter. You have so many in this manor of yours. Go and use them. Not everyone needs to witness your private life." She mutters absently.

"Let him be Draco." Riddle says, his eyebrows raised, "I am really tired and you were going to take me out for dinner today."

The way Draco's face lits up at the prospect of dining out with Riddle angers Harry and his fingers clench on Pansy's shirt. She places her hand on his and loosens his fingers gently before entwining their fingers. Reluctantly, he averts his eyes from Draco who is talking animatedly with Riddle and focuses on Pansy. She places her hand behind Harry's head and pulls him towards her. Their lips join in a soft kiss.

When he pulls back and checks Draco out for any kind of response, he realizes that he is mistaken. She is sitting on the table sharing an apple with Riddle. She is not concerned about what he is doing.

"Ignore her." Pansy murmurs and he breaths before looking at Pansy once again.

"Master Harry. Dinner is being ready." Blissy squeaks and Harry stands up before walking with Pansy towards the dining table. They have just reached it when Draco pulls her chair out.

"Let's go Tom." She murmurs and since her face is away from Harry's, he has no way to know what she is thinking.

"I'll be back late. Don't wait for me. I have asked Blissy to place my things in one of the guest-rooms." She mutters calmly.

"You aren't a guest. You are my wife. You ought to sleep in our room." He throws a retort, settling on a chair. Pansy settles beside him and stays quiet just like Riddle who is doing something on his mobile phone.

"That must mean that I have a right to throw Pansy out of this house, doesn't it?" She replies, her eyes still away from him. He doesn't answer and she does look at him at that before snorting, "Are you happy Pansy?"

"Don't blame me for your husband's lifestyle Draco. I am here because he called me up and you know that I am not in a serious relationship right now. You will have to stop fighting with me at some point and accept the fact that he is just not meant for you."

Harry's jaw pops open at Pansy's words and he stares at the woman.

"What!" Pansy exclaims, "Did you expect me to defend you? She is one of my oldest and true friends and she is not talking to me because she thinks that I have lured you."

"You could have stayed away from him. You knew that he is my -" Draco speaks up and Pansy cuts her off, "That won't serve the purpose darling. He has many other gals lined up for him. Tonks, Ginny, Astoria- almost everyone we know. It doesn't matter to him. He has always been like this. You were too blind to see it. I tried to show you. Hell Tom tried to-"

"Keep Tom out of this, you understand. He is  _my_  best friend and  _you_  will  _not call him_  by his first name. He is  _not yours_." Draco's voice is as cold as ice and Harry's blood boils when Draco holds Riddle's hand in hers. The man places his mobile phone in his pocket and sighs.

"I-"

"No. You will keep Tom out of our discussion. He is not yours to call by his first name and you will not do so." Draco presses and Pansy snaps at her, "You are not his girlfriend. You are married for gods sake Draco. Will you just let him go or is he not allowed to date?"

"You will keep out of it. Don't interfere in our friendship."

"You are not a bloody child now, Draco. You need to take a stand and you need to let Tom go."

Something changes then and Harry freezes when he realizes what Draco is about to do. He had never known that Draco was so possessive for Riddle. She releases Riddle's hand and ignores the man's soft, "Draco, don't."

She stalks towards Pansy and slaps her hard on her face before snarling, "I asked you to stay away from Tom. He will date when he wants to and I am sure that he won't want to date a hypocrite bitch like you. You will not speak about him. I do not want to hear anything about  _my best friend_  from  _your_  filthy mouth."

The she turns towards Harry. The level of possessiveness Draco has for Riddle has created a fire inside him and he doesn't like it.        

She points her finger towards Harry's face and glares at him before speaking in a cold voice, "Keep your girlfriends away from Tom. I am warning you. You have seen nothing Potter. You don't want to be on the other side of my wand."

"Draco, will you calm down?" Yet again, another evidence of the effect that Riddle's mere voice has on his wife astounds Harry and leaves him angry. He has only placed a hand on her shoulder and murmured five words and Draco is already calming down. Her fury is seeping out of her.

Riddle has not looked at Harry ever since he has returned and Harry wonders why. Harry wonders why Draco is so possessive for a man who is just her best friend. He needs to understand the dynamics of their relationship but doesn't know whom to ask. Maybe he should pay a visit to his father-in-law. 

Why is she not so possessive for Harry?

Pansy is sitting with one hand on her slapped cheek and her eyes at her empty plate. Her other hand is tracing random patterns on the table as she waits for Draco to leave.

"Let's leave. I can't tolerate this woman for even a second longer." Draco mumbles and together they leave the premises, leaving a silent Pansy and a fuming Harry Potter in their wake.

XXXX


	16. Trapped

**_ Chapter-16 _ **

**_ Trapped _ **

"Draco." Tom murmurs exasperatedly for the third time this evening. Draco looks away, not knowing how to explain.

"Atleast talk to me. Why did you react like that?" He tries again and she looks straight ahead. The thing is that she doesn't know the answer.

Having had a very delicious and fulfilling dinner, they chose to walk instead of apparating.

"You are looking stunning by the way." He mumbles. He is a bit tipsy, just a little bit. Tom can hold his alcohol quite well and he ensures not to drink too much in her presence.

"I know." She mutters. She is a lightweight and that's the reason she didn't drink tonight. She is a very honest drunk and does not want to babble nonsense in front of Tom or god forbid Potter.

"So modest." He teases her, "Seriously though. It's okay. I am not interested in her or anyone else for that matter. You know me."

"So many years have passed. I thought that you moved on Tom. You should have." She can't really believe her ears. She had honestly thought that he had started dating.

"I can never move on. There is only one woman I will ever be interested in." He murmurs and she stops before turning to look at him.

"I can't. I don't know whether-"

"And it's fine. I don't want to date. It's not your fault. It's my decision." He shrugs and starts walking again. She follows him. They were in fifth year when Tom had proposed her, knowing full well that she will refuse. After graduation, he had left Britain because it had been close to impossible for him to bear Draco's casual dating.

"Will you calm down though? We are at the door and I am sure that Potter is waiting for you." He says and Draco sighs. They are standing just outside the door and she feels that she must explain.

"Ever since we met, you have only ever been only my best friend. You never paid attention to other girls and I know that it's not fair. Today when she was ranting, she was making eyes at you and I just couldn't bear it." She mutters, frustrated.

"You were away for the last few years and I missed you so much that it literally hurt but I couldn't stop dating because I didn't want to come out of my denial. Potter was everywhere and he was always with a new girl. He wanted me to be one of them and I wanted entirely something else. All through it, I was alone. Now that you are here, I don't anyone to snatch you away and it's ridiculous because I am not your girlfriend and apparently I am married to the man whom I have always secretly been in love with and it's not what I had imagined. It's a nightmare honestly. It was absolutely intolerable to watch him with Pansy."

"I will get the marriage annulled, don't worry Draco."

She continues ranting in a frustrated voice "And - and it's ridiculous because I wonder whether I would have fallen in love with you, not immediately but maybe eventually. I never even considered it because I only saw Potter but now I am trapped in this - this farce marriage. It's pathetic because he does not love and he never will. He is arrogant and full of himself. He insulted me in front of everyone today. I am afraid that I will lose my identity if I stay in this marriage. I want this marriage annulled as soon as possible."

He is staring at her, his eyes wide in surprise.

"I am not promising anything. Don't wait for me. You have waited enough. I-"

He cuts her off, "It's not about waiting. I don't see others, I suppose. They are just people. I don't look at the faces long enough to even remember or appreciate them. That's just me. It's  _not your_  fault. You know how closed off I have always been. You don't have to worry about me Draco."

"Have you not discussed enough at my doorway?" Draco's back becomes rigid when she hears Potter sneer and turns her face to look at him. He has a lipstick mark on his cheeks and love bites all over his neck.

She breathes hard.

"Can't you wait until I have found a way to get out of this trap you call a marriage?" She asks but Tom doesn't give him an opportunity to reply, starting in a low and dangerous voice, "It's none of your business Potter. Stop screaming at Draco at every turn. She is not your personal property. I have seen enough and I have heard enough. If you can't respect her, just stay away and have some courtesy to clean up before greeting others. She doesn't need to look at all of this to know what you were upto. She already knows."

This is the first time Tom has said anything to Potter and even Draco is surprised. Potter is staring at him with mouth open in shock.

Draco sneers at him, "Move away." It will be easy to beat him at his own game. She could very easily kiss Tom in front of this horrible man but she won't do it until she is sure she wants to pursue a relationship with Tom. It won't be fair on her best friend.

 _Bloody Idiot._  She thinks to herself as she walks towards the room Blissy has set for her. She doesn't want to see Potter's face and she wants to spend some more time with Tom.

"Tom." She calls. He is at his door turns his face to look at her, an eyebrow raised.

She wants to ask him to come into her room and talk to her some more but she doesn't say any of that. He is tired and she doesn't want to prove Pansy's words by being selfish.

"Good night." She says, smiling at him.

"Draco, is there something that you need. You can ask for anything. There is no need to hesitate. Parkinson is foolish. We have always known that."

"Nothing except a good night's sleep." She replies.

He smiles, "Goodnight then."

Behind her, Potter clears his throat sharply. Tom rolls his eyes before entering inside and Draco scowls at her green eyed husband before heading inside and locking the door behind her.

XXXX

Draco yawns and opens her eyes wondering if it's morning already. It's still dark outside and she wonders why she is awake. Slowly, she sits up and reaches for her glass, her eyes still closed. She really really needs to sleep. After taking a couple of sips of water, she opens her eyes and looks around herself. She blinks a couple of times to focus when she looks towards the side of the bed which is supposed to empty, except that it's not. She is not alone. It takes a couple of minutes for her to realize that Potter is laid beside her, humming a low tune under his breath.

"Potter." She whispers because this is not acceptable. The man should respect her privacy. He knew that she wanted to sleep alone.

He doesn't look at her but he does sit up, his back against the head board and his right knee folded.

"How dare you- how did you enter my room anyways? I locked it." She mutters in a voice that can barely contain her fury and disbelief.

"You can't keep me out of any room in this house." He replies and Draco closes her eyes before breathing deeply. She wants to lash at him. She wants to hurt him. Why can't he just let her be?

"You will what- not let me live in peace? I don't want your presence in my room. Just. Get. Out."

"No, I will not go anywhere."

"Are you out of your mind? Either quit your sleeping around or let me live  _alone_  in peace. I don't want to be around you." She insists.

"You are my wife-"

"You are my husband too and I want you to quit sleeping around."

"I can't do that." He snaps at her and she hisses right back, "Then don't call me your wife."

It's dark and she can't look at his face but his voice makes it clear that he is as frustrated as she is.

"We agreed to a non-monogamous marriage. You didn't have any problem with my life style when we got married." He mutters and she wishes that she could answer him. She wishes that she could tell him that she loves him and she has always had a problem with his lifestyle but she won't give that satisfaction to him. As far as she is concerned, he can go to ruddy hell.

Having no desire to give any sort of answers, she gets up and arranges her pajama and shirt before rushing towards the door. A moment passes and she has not even opened the door when he is behind her, his hands on her shoulder, soft yet firm and his lips are close to her ears. There is very little distance between their bodies.

"I want you Draco. Don't be like this. We can have a non-monogamous marriage and be happy." He whispers and she closes her eyes, her palm pressing against the door. He is an idiot.

Slowly, his hands trail over the side of her body and wrap around her thin waist and he presses his front on her back.

"I can make you happy. Just close your eyes and forget everything else. Nothing else really matters. We can make this marriage work. Don't be so stubborn." His voice is soft, melodious, intoxicating but his words are unbearable. This is too intimate and she wants him so bloody much that she has to swallow hard and steel herself to disentangle his arm from her waist and push him away.

It takes a few moments for her to catch her breath.

"No. That's not what I want. Don't touch me again." She breathes. She wants to be stern but can't, not when her heart is beating too loudly and her breath is too fast. It's good that he can't see her otherwise he would have known. Perhaps he does know.

"Why don't I start the practice of a non-monogamous marriage with Tom, eh?" She mocks him.

His subsequent reply is not unexpected. He literally snarls, "I hate him."

"I don't." She simply murmurs and is half of a mind to sleep inside Tom's room. At least, she will be able to have a decent night's sleep. But she doesn't do that. She doesn't want to disturb Tom.

She opens the door and heads towards her lab.

"Where are you going?" He calls and she doesn't look back.

"Draco." He tries again but she doesn't reply. Her hands in her pockets, she walks towards potions lab. He doesn't follow her. She is glad seeing that her fingers are trembling and she is yearning to slap him tightly on his face. She hates being taken for granted.

XXXX


	17. Desire

Chapter-17  
Desire

Draco brews for a total of twenty minutes and tries very desperately to calm herself down. But she can't. She is so aroused that her fingers are literally trembling and she can't even hold the stirring rod properly. There is no point of ruining the potion and wasting the ingredients. So she turns the flame off and settles down on the floor, her back against the wall.

She closes her eyes and starts unbuttoning her shirt. Instead of taking it completely off, she opens only the first four buttons, just enough for her to slide her left hand inside. Her thumb rubs over her tight nipple and she hisses, throwing her head back. Her left hand slides inside her shirt and she strokes her belly, hissing, "Fuck."

She kneads her breasts, trying to relieve herself of the excitement he has inflicted inside her. Her breath grows labored and she pinches her nipples. It takes a couple of moments more and she moans, biting her lips hard before cumming silently in her panties.

She sighs and wipes her sweaty forehead with her hands. She is bloody embarrassed and so so tired that she doesn't even feel upto casting a cleaning charm on herself.

She rests her head on the wall and promises herself to get up in five minutes. She closes her eyes to relax for just a couple of minutes.

However, soon the tiredness takes over and she doesn't even realize when she falls asleep.

XXXX

"Fuck." Tom's hiss startles her awake come morning. Her eyes shoot open, wide and startled.

Tom is in front of her, turned around, his hands clenched in fists.

The next thing she realizes is that her shirt is partially unbuttoned, displaying her cleavage and then some.

Her hands are resting on her belly inside her shirt. She breathes deeply and swallows, feeling very thirsty. Pulling away from the wall, she attempts to stand up and realizes that her feet have slept.

"Damn." She curses and Tom snaps, irritated, "What happened? Are you decent?"

"Wait." She mutters and buttons up her shirt quickly before continuing, "Yes." He turns, blue eyes furious. Apart from furiousness, there is something else in his eyes, something that she hasn't seen in a very long time. Tom is the most controlled man she has met. He can control his emotions and magic with such an expertise that it's really very amazing.

Right now, though, his eyes betray him and show her the desire he is feeling for her. It's not surprising really.

"Stand up. What are you waiting for?"

"My feet are numb." She replies softly.

He closes his eyes and grumbles, "Why would you sleep on the floor when this place has so many rooms is really beyond me Draco."

She makes a face at him, "I won't tell you if you keep on scolding me."

He pinches his lips in a straight line before bending down.

"I am going to carry you since apparently you are not in position to walk by yourself. Place your hand around my shoulders." He mutters and places his right hand around the bend in her knees and left one around her back.

A moment later, she finds herself being carried in his arms as one would carry a bride.

"Where are you taking me?" She asks softly.

"In my room where we can talk about this. Where else?"

She swallows. This is really intimate, not that he has never carried her like this. Often when she fell down her broom while flying, he carried her to the infirmary or inside the Malfoy Manor.

She doesn't understand why her heart is beating a bit faster. Somehow, this seems different. She doesn't know why she buries her face in his neck. She just does, breathing deeply, wondering if it's because of what Potter tried last night. Instinctively, she places a very soft kiss on the junction of his neck and shoulder and he stops walking.

Frozen on spot, he asks her, "What are you doing?"

She doesn't reply in words, choosing to nip the sensitive skin of his neck. She needs a moment to think and she knows that given a moment, she will stop because this is not right and certainly not fair on him. He loves her and has loved her ever since they were just five. He has never dated any other girl, not because he was waiting for her but because he really didn't notice other girls. His love for her makes her love for Potter seem unreal and just a small crush or just an itch that needed to be scratched.

She can sense him trying to hold his moan back before murmuring hoarsely, "Wait until we have reached my room and talked about whatever this is."

She doesn't say anything but nods silently, nuzzling his neck, asking herself if she would have done this had it been someone else, Blaise maybe.

"Christ Draco." He breathes, interrupting her train of thought and his pace increases. She doesn't try anything until after he has closed the door behind him. Once they are inside, he leans against the door and he places her on the floor.

Their eyes meet. Dark blue boring in her aroused silver ones for just a moment before she joins their lips, cupping his cheeks gently.

It is their first kiss and starts as soft pecks on his closed lips. Feeling a bit bolder, she encloses her lips around his lower lip and licks it with her tongue.

His left hand wraps around her hips and right one around her head as he adjusts her face to deepen the kiss. She doesn't know what she is doing or why. She is sort of going with the flow. He whirls her around and presses her against the door, lifting her legs and placing them around his hips as he tries to get as close to her as possible.

She caresses his back before sliding her fingers through his hair.

He pulls back for a second to breath and starts again, his eyes staring into hers as he maps her mouth. His lips trail kisses from the corner of her lips down her neck.

"Hmmmm." She moans as he nips the sensitive skin at junction of her neck and shoulder. They trail over her jaw, towards her ears and back and then trail to the other side of her face.

Her eyes are closed and her hands are caressing the nape of his neck and hair.

"So bloody beautiful. You are so beautiful that it's amazing." He whispers before digging his teeth in the skin of her neck. She moans when he licks the mark subsequently. With quick fingers, he starts unbuttoning her shirt and she takes a moment to question herself.

Why is she doing this? Is this really fair on him?

But then his thumb skims over the nipple of her left breast and she moans loudly.

"So responsive. I have wanted you for so long Draco." He murmurs and pinches her nipples. It is tight and she is squirming, sandwiched between him and the door. He pulls back and somehow she manages to stand on the floor on her trembling legs. Their eyes meet for a second before he unbuttons her shirt completely and takes it off.

He is not thinking. For the very first time, her friend is letting his emotions rule over his actions and she is not in a position to stop him. Her body is alight with excitement. He backs off a bit and stares at her bare breasts, licking his lips, his blue eyes dark and hooded with arousal.

He bends down until his lips are in front of her left breast and skims the tip of his tongue over the nipple. She throws her head back and moans. In response, his lips enclose around her nipple and he bites it teasingly, rubbing the other neglected one with his thumb. She presses her hand on the back of his head and finally his lips enclose around her breast as he sucks it slowly and kneads the other one. It's not enough and she moans, "Please." He switches his attention to her other breast, still completely dressed. His fingers rub his saliva all over her left breast and swollen nipple and squeeze and knead it.

It's not enough.

"Tom Please." She pleads and he scratches the unblemished skin of her left breast with his nail. A moan escapes her mouth and she swallows. Her breathe is ragged and his heart is threatening to burst out of her chest.

His fingers skim towards the hemline of her pajamas as he kisses her cleavage and then licks her breasts as if trying to memorize the taste. His lips trails over her slim belly and his thumbs skim under the waistline of her pajamas. He pulls her pajamas just a bit and trails the tip of his tongue along the waistline. She stares at him and takes deep breathes. He is still not thinking but she is. She would never have done this had it been someone else.

She still doesn't know why she is not stopping him. She should. This will have consequences.

"So deliciously tempting." His voice is husky and he sucks her belly button before teasing her by skimming his fingers over the hem of her pajamas.

"Draco. Open the door." Potter's voice cuts through her mind and she knows that now the reality will really hit him too. It does.

"DRACO." Potter shouts, pounding on the door.

Tom stumbles and almost falls on the floor on his hips before he forces himself to stand up and stare at her face, his blue eyes horrified.

"DRACO, BLOODY OPEN THIS DOOR." Potter screams and Tom rubs his hands over his face. Beads of sweat are shining on his cheeks and forehead and his eyes are still half crazed. He looks around as if searching for something to calm himself.

"DRACO." Potter hisses and Draco stares at Tom, her back frozen against the closed door. His eyes skim towards her again and he opens his mouth before closing it again. Not even once do they stray towards the rest of her body. Slowly, he is calming down and swallowing, staring at the floor.

"Get dressed." His voice is soft, low and dangerous as he murmurs these two words and Draco knows that he will not forgive her for this.

"Tom, please-" She starts and he hisses at her, his eyes suddenly burning with rage, "Get Dressed." That's when she realizes that she is in a big trouble. Tom doesn't get angry, not at anyone and certainly not at Draco. The vase and the windows start shaking.

"Draco." He whispers dangerously and Potter starts pounding on the door yet again.

"OPEN THE DAMNED DOOR IMMEDIATELY."

She nods mutely and picks her discarded shirt before putting it on.

"Go inside my bathroom. Wash your face. Brush your hair and apply a concealer on either side of your neck." His voice is steady but not calm. He is furious and wild magic is crackling on his fingertips.

Quietly, she makes her way for his bathroom. They ignore Potter's hisses and screams. She has only ever encountered this side of Tom once before. They were fourteen at that time and Weasley had slapped her accidentally.

Tom was so furious at that time that his wild magic had slammed Weasley's head on the wall. The portraits of the corridor had fallen on the floor and the walls had turned black at many places. Weasley had taken two weeks to recover. That was the very first time Tom had intervened in her quarrel with Weasley and the red head had not dared to even shout at her after that.

No one had told anything to the teachers, neither Weasley nor the portraits. When she splashes water on her face, her hands tremble. She wonders if their friendship will survive this incident. She should have stopped him. She should have come to her senses.

As commanded, she washes her face, brushes her hair and adjusts her shirt and pajamas.

She opens the door and the moment she steps outside, the door to the room breaks down, revealing a very red Harry Potter.

She wants to feel guilty but she doesn't. Instead she feels satisfied that she is no longer going to sulk about Potter sleeping with other women.

That satisfaction doesn't last long because she knows that she doesn't feel like letting anyone other then Tom touch her. It's bloody confusing. She doesn't understand what she wants. She wants to get rid of this marriage but she looks at Potter and realizes that she loves him.

Despite the fact that he is an utter bastard and will never stop sleeping around, she loves him. She looks at Tom who is glaring venomously at Potter, standing beside her and realizes that she loves him too. But then she always has. It's certainly not the same and will never be but she feels safe in the realization that he loves her and will always do.

They have been friends for almost one and a half decade now. She trusts him with her life and shouldn't have broken his trust like this. They had made an agreement in fifth year when he had proposed her and she had refused.

"What were you doing here?" Potter asks, his body stiff. His cheeks are completely red with with fury and his green eyes are blazing. He is so handsome.

He will never love her the way she wants him to. He takes her for granted. Draco swallows and turns to look at Tom whose stance is that of a panther protecting his partner.

Both the men are very powerful and the air is buzzing with tension and wild magic.

They are glaring at each other. Potter's question was for her but he is glaring daggers at Tom.

"None of your business." Tom hisses furiously and the vase starts shaking again. Draco swallows as the glass of the window shatters.

Potter takes a step towards Draco not caring about the window.

Tom growls, "Stay away. I will kill you if you hurt her."

Draco realizes that she took Tom for granted. Shame washes over her and she drags her eyes towards Tom's clenched fingers.

"She is my wife and I have a right to walk towards her." Potter replies, practically hissing.

They stare at each other and Draco knows that Potter considers himself more powerful than Tom.

"You are very proud of breaking the door apart aren't you? Why don't I just bring this manor down on our heads." Tom murmurs, his voice low and dangerous.

With eyes narrowed and hands clenched, he looks powerful and handsome and terribly angry.

"Ha, you can't." Potter mocks arrogantly, taking another step towards Draco.

That's the moment when the ceiling starts shaking and Tom's breath becomes ragged and Draco realizes that this is not just protectiveness. This is possessiveness. Tom had never let her witness this side of his nature.

Potter freezes and stares, his jaw agape.

"Tom, stop all this." She whispers and everything stops, just like that.

"Potter get out before I really hurt you which I will. You don't want to irritate me more than I already am. Stop interfering between Draco and me. She doesn't interfere in your affairs, does she? Leave quietly or I will have to make you leave."

Potter stares quietly at Draco for a moment. Their eyes meet and Draco can read his frustration but she has no solution.

She can not forget his insulting words or his disregard for her feelings. She averts her eyes and looks at Tom's back instead.

A few moments later, Potter leaves. Another moment later, Tom casts a non verbal reparo on the door.

Then he whirls towards Draco and his eyes are as furious as they had been when he had commanded her to wash her face.

Draco doesn't know what to do as she stands at a bit of distance from him.

So she simply stares at him, waiting for him to say something.

XXXX


	18. Quit

**_ Chapter-18 _ **

**_ Quit _ **

"Damn you." His first couple of words are practically hissed as he glares daggers at her.

She swallows, wondering what to say. She stays silent, not wishing to tell him what happened last night. He walks closer to her and his soft voice seems loud enough that she flinches.

"We had an agreement and you bloody promised that you won't take advantage of my feelings for you." He mutters.

She doesn't say anything. She doesn't even move. She stays frozen at her spot and stares at his frustrated eyes. There is no evidence of what happened just moments earlier on his face.

"What the hell were you doing in your unlocked lab on the floor in a partially unbuttoned shirt. Did you not know that your husband and you are not the only people living in this manor right now?" He asks in an irritated voice.

She can not stay quiet now though because he is clearly under a big misconception.

"Nothing happened last night. He-"

"I do not want any justifications. He is your husband and if you have reconciled with him, that's fine by me. I will just take my leave. I have only ever wanted you to be happy."

"-tried to seduce me into agreeing with him. He wants a non-monogamous marriage. I denied but I was aroused and so-"

"I do not want to know Draco. Keep quiet." He cuts her off yet again, his eyes furious.

"-I just wanted to relieve myself. He said that I can not keep any door locked from him. I was tired and so just fell asleep. I didn't plan on sleeping with an unbuttoned shirt." She finishes, her cheeks red from embarrassment.

He stares at her with betrayal in blue eyes and for a few moments she doesn't understand. But then it hits her like a boulder and just when she opens her mouth to say something, he beats her to it, "So what happened was just a way to relieve yourself."

"No of course not. I-"

"It won't have made any difference at all if it had been someone else in my place." His voice is soft and hurt and she has never witnessed this side of his. He is usually so bloody collected.

"That's so not true. I could have called one of my ex-lovers if I really wanted it. You can check my phone calls. Potter blocked the numbers and I do not know how to unblock them." She mutters and takes her phone out from her pajama pockets before placing it on her palm in front of him.

With burning blue eyes, he moves closer and shoves her phone from her hand. It falls on the floor and the screen breaks. She sighs before looking at him.

"Do not imply that I am asking you to prove your words. I do not need your bloody phone to know that you are not lying. I can read your face and I trust you. I am not bloody Potter and you do not need to block your calls to prove yourself. Why you did it in the first place is beyond me. I just want to know one thing... had it been Zabini or someone else... , would you have done the same?" He asks. Draco looks at him. Her answer is important for him.

"I won't have allowed them to carry me in the first place, Tom." She replies, "Will you please stop embarrassing me. I don't know why I initiated it. I won't say that I am sorry because I am not. I apologize for breaking my promise though but I am not sorry that it happened."

"Since when are you embarrassed in front of me and where was this embarrassment hiding just a few minutes back. If you can do it, then you most certainly can talk about it." He is glaring at her but his eyes are not cold. They are just angry.

Not giving her even a single second to reply, he continues, "You didn't seem embarrassed when you were-"

"Okay! I am not embarrassed. I just don't want you to be angry at me. That's it. I don't know why I initiated it. I just wanted to and I won't have done it with just anyone. I didn't let Potter do anything. I won't start the casual dating thing again." She mutters, her shoulders slumped.

"It meant nothing to you."

"Of course it did. I will never forget it. How many times shall I tell you that I don't know why I did it but it was not nothing. Of course it wasn't." She hissed and he hissed right back, "You don't get to tell me that you suddenly feel something for me after years of- years of crushing over Potter."

"I am not saying that I love you like I love Potter. Will you just stop it? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know, all right. I have spent fifteen years by your side. Of course, I love you even if it was never enough to pursue a relationship at that time. You are my one and only best friend so yes I am possessive for you. My love is not enough for that man and he will never reciprocate it and I don't want to talk about my horrible crush for him. That is the cause of all this. I had imagined a fairy tale life with him in which he will give up his dating like I did and we will live happily ever after but that's not going to happen, not now, not ever." She finishes and she is almost screaming by the end.

"That's it. I told you that I won't be a convenience or a rebound." he murmurs, backing off a bit.

"You were never a convenience and certainly not a rebound. Right now I myself am so confused that I don't know what to tell you. Not everyone gets a happily ever after with their first love. That's just life. People leave and you move on. Wounds heal and you fall in love all over again. I am certainly not going to waste my life pining over him. I shouldn't have agreed to-"

Suddenly, he is right in front of her, his hand covering her mouth as he whispers in a very low voice, "Shhhhhh. Be silent, you stupid woman. I understand. Don't tell that last thing to anyone. You certainly did not agree. You were forced into it."

She stares at him. His eyes are bright and warm and he loves her so bloody much and she wants to see this love in Potter's eyes and she doesn't want to wait anymore.

He doesn't pull away. With almost desperate eyes boring into hers, he strokes her left cheek with his thumb and caresses her right cheek with his fingers.

After taking an uneven breath, he pulls back, "I can't take it on my conscience Draco. I need a proof that he really doesn't want to change. If I let this happen, I will always feel that I manipulated you into getting your marriage annulled to suit myself."

"You are not manipulating me. You are not-"

"You are right but I want to make sure." He mutters and backs off. His eyes trail over her neck and he swallows before turning around and walking towards the window.

"What will you have me do then? How can I possibly prove it to you?" Annoyed, she asks after sitting on the edge of his bed.

"You will talk to him and ask him in very plain and clear words. No beating about the bush. I want to know his response." He mutters and she sighs, "All right and you know you owe me now."

"What?" He asks incredulously, staring at her.

"My phone. You broke it again. You will have to buy me a new one. This is the fifth time you are breaking it. I wonder if you do this over and over again to just buy me a new one."

"It was your fault. You have to bring your phone in between. I will get you a new one after you have spoken to Potter." He mutters pointedly and her jaw falls open, "That's so unfair."

"It's what it is."

"Well damn. I will get dressed and get it over with then. Let me tell you though that it will be entirely futile." She walks towards the door and is almost on the door way when he whispers, "We will see that, won't we."

When she turns around, he has disappeared inside his bathroom. She sighs before heading towards her room, knowing that there is no point of talking to the green-eyed man about it.

XXXX


	19. Chance Given

**_ Chapter-19 _ **

**_ Chance Given  _ **

"Mr. Potter?" Mr. Red asks and Harry hums absentmindedly, "Yes." He is seated in his study, his mind on Draco. She had seemed so innocent when he had entered inside Riddle's room and Harry is so very sure that they were doing something not so innocent and it irks Harry.

Maybe if it had been someone other than Riddle- no- he doesn't want to imagine Draco with anyone other than himself and it's really unfair of him because he doesn't want this marriage to be monogamous.

"Mr. Potter, I was saying that- Mr. Potter." Mr. Red repeats sharply and Harry blinks before looking at the man, "I am listening. Please continue."

"Are we agreed upon the quote I suggested or do you want to modify it?" He asks evenly and Harry sighs, "The quote is fine. Just send the agreement papers to my secretary. I will sign them and owl you back."

"Okay, Mr. Potter. It was nice meeting you." Mr. Red smiles professionally before extending his hand. Harry shakes it and reciprocates the smile and the man walks out of the study, leaving silence in his wake.

Harry has to leave for his flight in about an hour. He has a business meeting in Denmark which he doesn't feel like attending. He leans back against his chair and revolves around so as to look outside the window. He doesn't know what do about the situation with Draco.

He needs to introspect to understand why he wants Draco to stay. He can't say that he loves her but he wants her to stay. It's not fair but he can't make himself let her go. Maybe it's just his pride. No-one has ever rejected his advances and he can't handle her rejection. He wants her acceptance and he wants her to want to stay with him and agree to his conditions like all women do. They never question him. They do as he tells them to. But Draco does. The woman's self-control last night was astonishing really.

For a moment, she had almost surrendered. He can't comprehend as to how she walked away.

He breathes deeply and looks outside. What happened this morning killed his appetite and he didn't have breakfast. Why can't she simply go with what he wants? Why does she have to be so difficult? There is nothing so complicated about this? Why doesn't she understand?

A knock interrupts his musings and he revolves on his chair.

"Enter." He murmurs and the door opens, revealing his wife who is looking simply stunning in a blue bubble skirt and a grey lace top. Her feet are looking beautiful, donning blue heels. The entire outfit accentuates her curves very well.

"Are you done staring or shall I wait some more?" She snaps at him before finally entering inside. She closes the door behind her which gives him an opportunity to look at her rather attractive back.

Heels clicking on the floor, she walks towards him. Her stride is sharp and she is in a no-nonsense mood.

"Sit." He commands and she murmurs sharply, "I am good. Thanks." before simply placing her manicured fingers on the back rest of the chair which Mr. Red had vacated minutes ago. To top her rather unbelievably beautiful dress off, she is wearing a blood red nail paint and a beautiful diamond rig on her second finger.

"Potter." She snaps and he looks at her irritated silver eyes.

"I am here to ask you something. Look at me when I am talking to you. I am not one of your girlfriends who tolerate your arrogance and you will pay me the respect I deserve." Her voice is authoritative and and her eyes are adamant.

"Yes. I am listening." He replies coolly, irked by her behavior. Why does she have to make everything difficult?

"I want a monogamous relationship with you." She murmurs.

"I don't want it. You always knew this. We already knew the kind of lifestyle both of us led. Before we got married, you didn't consider the kind of life we lived wrong." He mutters, leaning forward and joining his hands on the table.

She stares at him for a few moments. Her face is unreadable as she replies, "I am not saying that it's wrong. I am not here to discuss my past. I am not judging you. I am only saying that I don't want you to keep partners outside marriage."

He stares silently at her. Her eyes are partially hopeful and partially knowing. She knows what he is going to say.

"I can't accept this condition. I can't lead such a life." He answers and she sighs before rolling her eyes. He had expected her to become sentimental and request him to reconsider. It seems that he was sorely mistaken.

She makes a face and continues, "So you will continue to keep multiple partners although I don't want you to?"

Somehow, this moment seems very important and Harry snaps his mouth shut before looking at her eyes. She is too still. Her mascara-clad eyes are unblinking and pretty as she waits for the answer that she already knows.

Still Harry attempts to think, really think and later on he will curse himself to hell for not being matured but right now he simply murmurs, "Yes."

"I am requesting-" She stops and grits her teeth. He stares at her. She is practically forcing herself to say these words. Her fingers are clenched into fists and her eyes are narrowed. She is breathing deeply and her cheekbones are tinged red. Why is she doing it when she clearly doesn't want to?

"I am requesting you to reconsider, Potter. I can't live such a life." She murmurs coolly. It doesn't seem like a request at all. It seems like an ultimatum. 

He breathes and replies, "I can't accept your condition. Sex is just sex for me. I don't associate it with marriage or love. I won't be able to change my life style."

"Okay." She snaps at him and twists her face towards right hand corner of the wall as if someone is standing over there.

"I know you are here. Just reveal yourself. I hope you are satisfied now. Is this sufficient for you or do I need to fall on his feet and beg him not to commit adultery. This is ridiculous."

Harry stares at her, wondering if she is mad but then something happens. Riddle appears out of nowhere. He is leant against the wall and looking at Draco.

"How did you know?" He asks her, his lips upturned in a little smile.

She rolls her eyes at him, "When have I not known? I can sense your presence, seeing that I have spent more than a decade with you. Now, can we leave? You owe me a mobile phone and I want to go for shopping. You are taking an off today since apparently you have spoiled my entire day."

"All right, just give me a couple of hours. I have a meeting with a client. You can brew until then. We will leave after that. Okay?" Asks Riddle and Harry breathes in frustration. They know each other too well. Riddle is too- too compliant. It's almost as if-

"I want to talk to him. Please get out." Riddle mutters and Harry expects Draco to scream indignantly at him. All she does is sigh and mutter, "I can't believe it. It's not going to change anything Tom."

"I will call you back inside once I am done." He mutters and Draco simply leaves, her stride annoyed and sharp. The door closes, leaving Harry alone with Riddle who settles down on the chair opposite to Harry.

Their eyes meet. Riddle is looking carefully at Harry whose eyes are cold as they bore into Riddle's cool ones.

"This is your last chance Potter. Think before you answer." Riddle murmurs. His voice is calm and steady and not angry and this calmness irritates Harry so much that he has already decided what to say before Riddle even starts. Much later, he will enter this very room and reminisce these few moments and regret but right now he simply glares at the man who seems his enemy and replies coldly, "Shoot."

XXXX


	20. Chance Lost

A/N: I do not have any legal knowledge of Annulment of marriage. This is just a piece of fiction.

**_Chapter-20_ **

**_Chance Lost_ **

"She loves you. You are very lucky man. Why are you being so stubborn about this?" Riddle asks him and to the man's credit, he seems genuinely curious. He is a very charming man. When they were at Hogwarts, almost the entire female population wanted Riddle. The man had eyes for just Draco. It was like he didn't see anyone else.

"You could atleast try. It will be worth. She really does love you very much." He continues. Harry had often wondered why it was. He had often tried to understand this complicated man who never ever let anyone see beneath the mask he wore constantly. Only Draco knew what lay behind the utterly blank eyes of this man. It was like he was living just for her.

"If you tell her that you want to give it a try and that with time you will change, she will wait. If you don't, she will move on and you will lose her."

Now Harry knows. He has finally understood. It was really simple. Harry should have seen it. Riddle loved Draco. He always had and always will. But then why-

"Why are you trying to convince me? You love her and you can finally make her yours. She is starting to hate me, isn't she? I bet you are elated about all this. Must be a dream come true?" Harry asks and Riddle stiffens. His eyes flash and he blinks to calm down but they flash again.

A deep breath and Riddle smiles. The smile is so fake that Harry snorts, "Stop pretending that you want us to end together."

"She is most the beautiful woman you have ever met, isn't she Potter? Doesn't she deserve to atleast have you reconsider it. Look from her perspective. She is possessive for you and it should make you happy. Why are you letting your pride ruin everything?" Riddle mutters calmly after leaning back, his right ankle over his left knee and his hands resting on the arm-rest.

How swiftly Riddle changed the topic. The man is clever and very intelligent and sharp. He could easily become the minister of magic. Why he chose to become a solicitor is beyond Harry.

"You are changing the topic. Why are you-"

"I am not here to discuss my life. You are practically a nobody for me and I don't care about what you think. Will you give it a chance or not? Just think for a few moments and then answer. This is your last chance." Riddle mutters professionally as if Harry is his client.

"No. I will not." Harry doesn't think and this is the biggest mistake of his life.

"Draco. Come inside." Riddle calls and Draco walks back inside. Maybe she was listening in.

She stands behind Riddle, her hands resting on his back rest. Harry is sure that she definitely was.

"Are you satisfied now?" She asks exasperatedly.

"For someone who is in love with me, you look very accepting and content with all this, Draco. You can't really change yourself you know. We are one of a kind. Today you want Riddle and so you are doing this. Tomorrow you will get bored of him and will come back to your senses and return. You can stay in this marriage and we can have what we want. Why are you making it so difficult and complicated?" Harry murmurs softly.

It happens so quickly that Harry doesn't even realize anything until after it has already happened. She slaps him hard before towering over him. He had no time to stop her.

"Don't ever dare to bring what I have with Tom at par with my previous relationships. Do not presume to understand it because you can't, you spoiled little bastard." She hisses at him, her silver eyes flashing furiously.

Stunned, Harry stares at her. Whatever he had expected, this wasn't it.

"What were you doing inside his room-"

"It's none of your damn business. You do not know anything about our history." She murmurs coldly, "Don't talk about him like this."

"Draco leave it. What he thinks doesn't matter. He can imagine whatever he wishes to." Riddle sighs and Draco glares at Harry before walking back behind the man, her fingers back at the headrest of Riddle's chair.

"Let's get back to business, shall we?" Riddle sighs, "Draco wants annulment. I am filing a petition for it."

Harry stares at him, utterly speechless for the very first time in life. He literally doesn't know what to say right now.

"I am not going to give my consent." He blurts out because this is all he can think of.

Riddle sighs, "All right. Find a solicitor for yourself then. I will file the petition today itself."

This being said, Riddle stands up. Harry looks at Draco who is staring back at him with accusing eyes.

"Have a nice day Potter." She mutters and walks out.

Riddle looks at Harry, his eyes full of pity and then follows Draco.

Harry runs his hand through his hair, before realizing that he has to leave for his flight. He will have to meet Hermione after returning, although he is sure that she will not help him. He can only hope that she will.

XXXX

"Hermione." Harry is sitting in front of his best friend who is too busy. Being an archaeologist suits Hermione's personality. She has always been too inquisitive for her own good. At times, it becomes slightly irritating though, like right now when she is so busy going through the huge book, which is probably related to the next discovery she is going to make, that she is not paying any attention to Harry.

"Hmmmm." She murmurs absently and Harry sighs, "I really need your help. Please listen to me. Ron has refused to ever hear it out."

At this, she blinks and marks the page she is reading before closing the book.

"This is related to Draco, isn't it?"

He nods, "Yes. Riddle is filing a petition for the annulment. He has asked me to seek a solicitor since I am going to contest it."

Hermione leans back and crosses her arms before looking at Harry with steeled eyes, "This was bound to happen Harry. You are not ready for marriage. I don't think you will ever be but you must let her go."

Harry stares at her, shocked to know that this is what Hermione feels.

"Don't look so stunned. I did try to warn you and so did Ron. You are not a child who needs to be spoon fed everything but we tried to make you understand and now it's too late. Riddle has forever been in love with her and of course she will chose to live with a man who loves her and respects her in place of a man whom she loves and who will never reciprocate her feelings." She speaks flatly. It's just so 'Hermione' to state everything bluntly.

"Had you been in her place-"

"I would have divorced Ron too." She mutters, cutting Harry off and Harry stares unbelievably at her.

"What's wrong with what I want Hermione. It's  _not wrong_." He insists and she sighs, "It's not wrong if your partner consents which Draco doesn't."

"She did - when we got married, she had no problems with it." He continues.

Hermione starts slowly as if Harry is a very small child, "But now she doesn't want this kind of life. So either you agree with her or let her go and find someone else. Why are you being so stubborn about this? You are certainly not in love with her. There are others who would consent to the kind of life you want. Neither of you will be able to stay happy if you don't end this marriage. It was forced upon you in the first place. You had no time to know each other. Hogwarts doesn't count. You spent the entire time mocking each other."

He stands up and slams his hands on her table before hissing, "Hermione, why are you not trying to understand?"

"I do not need to understand anything Harry. You are the one who is blind. Now please leave. I don't have time for your tantrums. I have a daughter and I do not want her to hear her godfather shouting like a madman." Hermione murmurs and she doesn't need to hiss or shout. The words are enough to show her anger.

He closes his eyes for a few seconds before opening them, "I am not going to give up."

"That's your decision. One you are going to regret making. One day you are going to realize your mistake and fall apart. But it's okay because we will be there to pick up the pieces and put you back together. Since you are going to be obnoxious and stupid about this entire thing, just leave. I do not have time to waste." She glares at him, her cheeks reddening.

Harry whirls around and stomps outside her study.

He doesn't witness Ron sighing in dread, hidden beside the door and he doesn't witness him hugging Hermione and telling her that it will be fine and that they will be there when he finally breaks apart. No, he stomps out of the house, so blinded by his sense of self-importance and false pride that he doesn't even stop to think that his friends have only ever wanted him to be happy.

XXXX

A/N: Tom's POV in the next chapter


	21. Love

**_ Chapter-21 _ **   
**_ Love _ **

Tom stares at her as she browses through the assortment of skirts. Sometimes, he doesn't understand why he loves her so much. It's difficult and tiring to always stay away from her when he wants to wrap her in his arms and keep her there forever. It's difficult to know that she is in love with Potter and no matter what, she will never love Tom the same way. It won't matter in the end because he will probably end up accepting what she wants.

Maybe Potter will come back to his senses and will apologize. She will forgive him and Tom will continue wearing the mask that he has always worn in front of her. He will be happy in her happiness and will watch her from a distance. He will be the best uncle to the kids she will have with Potter and will smile as she smiles.

But there is the other option that quickens his heart beats. Maybe Potter will not come back and she will never end with him but the fact the it will make Draco miserable compels Tom to pray for the former.

"Ummm, no this is too flashy." She mumbles and makes a face before placing the bell shapes skirt back. She is so beautiful. Everything about her is pretty, from her waist length hair that are falling behind her back to the few strands of her hair that are brushing her cheeks softly. She blows them when they start to irritate her. Her lips are red and she licks them before biting the lower one softly as she searches for the colour she wants and her eyes are deep silver and intoxicating. He loves the way she smells and her long fingers that are tracing the soft stuff of a circular skirt over and over. She loves it and Tom knows that she will chose it before she even picks it up. There is a small scar on her left wrist. She had got it when she was eleven and was flying at the manor in an attempt to practice so that she can beat Potter at school.

It's still there and Tom loves the scar as well because it reminds him of that incident. She had asked him to kiss it better. They had been eleven and too naive and although the wound was not even close to being serious, Draco was always dramatic. Tom had obliged and kissed the wound. She had claimed that the pain had vanished and Tom had agreed.

He doesn't remember the exact moment he fell in love with her. Maybe it was when he was five and she had found him sobbing inside a few bushes. She had given her cloak to him and she had also given her burger and finger-chips to him. She had sat with him until he had finished the food and then her parents had come searching for her. She had told them that he was coming with them and she had not budged until they agreed.

Or maybe it was when they were six and the senior Malfoys were debating upon whether or not to send him to an orphanage and she had said that she will go with him because he was her only best friend and her mommy had told her that she should always take care of her best friend.

Or maybe it was when they had been eight and a boy had mocked him by calling him a charity case of Malfoys and she had been so angry that her accidental magic had slammed the boy's head on the wall. No-one had ever dared to mess up with Tom after that.

She says that she had thought that he must have moved on.

How can he move on. Is this kind of love even possible to simply forget. He doesn't remember a single day when he has not felt the strange desire to just look at her all day long.

He knows that if she chooses to stay in this marriage and live with Potter, he will back off and she will have his blessings because all he wants is for her to be happy even if it's not with him.

"-om. Tom!" He blinks as she hisses, her face close to his.

"Yes." He asks, "I am listening."

"You are lying." She murmurs, pouting as she glares at him. He smiles at her antics. She is really so adorable.

"Okay, I was lost somewhere else. What were you saying?" He shrugs and she shows a couple of skirts to him. The former is the dark green circular skirt she had chosen earlier and the second one is a flared skirt. It is maroon in colour.

"They are nice. Go and try them. I will wait for you and maybe select some other skirts." He speaks softly and she smiles, "Thank you." before suddenly leaning forward and kissing his lips.

She pulls back and they stare at each other. She had not planned upon it. It had been instinctual. Her confused and adorably embarrassed eyes meet his and he wonders if she can see his soul as he can see hers, if she knows that all he wants in this moment is to pull and capture her soft lips but he won't.

"I'll just go and change." She murmurs innocently, about to turn around when he grabs her hand. Her cheeks are red and she is looking pointedly away from him.

"I have some principles. One of them is to never touch a married woman." He murmurs.

She looks at him with burning eyes and replies, "There is nothing real about this marriage."

"Nevertheless, you are still married." He shrugs, ensuring to keep the bitterness he is feeling away from his face because right now she is calling the marriage fake but what will happen when Potter apologizes, "You are a drug I can't afford to get addicted to because there is no medicine that could help me get rid of it."

She stares at him for a few moments before walking close to him. He doesn't move. He doesn't blink and suddenly she is standing too close and he is so tired of always being the one to back off.

"I am not going to walk back in his arms. It will never happen. After the annulment, I will need some time alone to think over all of this but I'll be back." She insists and her hands are cupping his cheeks. He wants it to be true.

She leans forward to capture his lips again and he turns his face away. Her lips land on his cheeks. It's too good to be true.

He wants her to maintain a bit of distance from him because her soft body is making him want to run his hands all over her back and hug her tightly. It's so excruciating to be the one to back off yet again but he does so. She looks at him, her eyes frustrated.

"You are taking his words to your heart. He doesn't know anything about us. If I had wanted to bed you, I would have done it years back." She whispers, her eyes gazing earnestly at him. He realizes that he has already taken Potter's words to heart but he has always believed this.

He stares at her with a lump in his throat. He was just a boy with abusive step mother and a drunk father whom she had found and he has always known that some day she will get bored of him. She will leave him and that is something he can't live with.

She is beautiful and has a family and a life. He has nothing except his career and her friendship. She will feel that he is too clingy and abandon him. His own father was not interested in him. Why would she want to keep him around.

"You don't still believe that I am a doing a favor on you by befriending you, do you?" she asks, staring incredulously at him.

"Go and change. I will select a few more things for you." He replies, changing the topic.

"It's been fifteen years. I - you are the only true friend I have ever had. You know the most shameful instances of my life. You know all my secrets. How can you still believe it." She asks.

He looks away, "I don't want to talk about it. Please just change. I want to see how you look in the skirts that you have selected. Maybe you can pose and I can take some photographs."

She sighs, "All right but we are not done with this conversation."

She prances away and he keeps on staring at her.

How can anyone be so beautiful all the time.

He walks and selects more skirts for her. The showroom is quite large. He walks closer to the changing room and what he witnesses freezes him in his tracks.

A young boy is standing in front of the closed door, supposedly cleaning the closet but Tom knows that he is waiting. A very small device is kept on the floor just near the the little opening at the end of the door of Draco's changing room.

It takes one moment for Tom to lift the device and burn it. His blood boils and he wants to kill the swine.

The boy stares at Tom, trembling with terror.

Tom holds the collar of the bastard and hisses, "I am going to kill you, you bastard."

"I- I a- am so sorry."

The owner of the showroom is a middle aged man. He walks towards them, confused.

"What is the matter sir?"

Tom slaps the boy hard and mutters coldly, "This boy had placed a camera near the door. I-"

"Tom what happened?" Tom stops speaking and stares at Draco. The skirts are still in her hands and she is frowning at him.

"It's nothing." He murmurs.

"It's clearly not nothing." She replies.

He doesn't have it in him to tell the truth to her so he lies, "He was stealing my wallet and we are not shopping here. He is going to prison. Mr. Brown please call the aurors."

"Yes sir." The owner mumbles.

Draco doesn't say anything. She only waits with Tom as the cops come and take the boy away. He had taken a moment to tell the aurors about the true crime of the boy.

Draco had watched him with a raised eyebrow and the owner had apologized profusely.

They walk out of the shop and Draco stays silent until they reach a cafe.

She tries to force the truth out of him but he refuses to budge.

They are at the entryway of the next shop when he reaches for her.

He embraces her and murmurs, "Keep your eyes open Draco. Check the changing room before entering."

She pulls back and looks at him, her eyebrows raised. Maybe she is able to read between the lines because she replies, "Okay." and they walk inside.

He feels like pulling her in his arms again but he pushes his hands inside his pockets and resists the urge.

XXXX


	22. Decision

**_ Chapter-22 _ **

**_ Decision _ **

Rest of their trip is shadowed with uncomfortable silence. Draco regrets giving into the impulse. She feels that she is making a huge mistake by giving hope to Tom. She herself is suffering because of the false hopes. The difference was only that her father had created that hope.

Tom literally has no-one else to call his own. Of course father and mother have raised him but not because they consider him their child. They tolerated him because of Draco. They didn't want him in the manor because they were not sure whether he was pureblood, half blood or muggleborn. They didn't want to dirty their blood by risking it. They didn't want his influence on Draco. This she realized when she turned thirteen and father and mother sat her with them to ask her to distance herself from Tom. She had a row with them and warned them to never ask this of her again. She also warned them to not talk about this with Tom.

So, she can't risk it. He has no-one else, no parents, no relatives and she doesn't want him to end up lonely and depressed. As they finish their icecream silently, she looks at his lost eyes and decides that she won't give in to her strange impulses again, atleast not until she has sorted her own mind out.

In some ways, he is still the same five year old terrified little boy who was hiding inside the bushes and sobbing his heart out. His stomach was aching and he had several bruises on his hands and legs and he was so very very lonely.

"Tom." She murmurs and he looks at her. He smiles or rather tries to. He constantly wears this mask in front of her and believes that she doesn't see it. She does and always has seen it. Dumbledore once told her that he knew about Tom's parents. They didn't love each other and had got divorced and that Tom's step mother had never loved him. He asked Draco to steer clear from him because apparently he was bad news. Draco asked him as to why he didn't do anything to give Tom a proper and loving family when he knew about Tom's parents.

He had no answer to that and fell silent when Draco told  _him_  to steer clear of her best friend.

"I was the luckier one you know." She murmurs.

"What do you mean?" He asks slowly.

"I was fortunate to find you all those years ago. Who else could have tolerated me?" She says and he blinks in surprise.

"Also, I am sorry. I will take care now onwards. I didn't intend to hurt you and I had acted impulsively. It wasn't predetermined." She continues and he nods before changing the topic swiftly, "We will have to meet your parents today and then I will file the petition. The hearing will probably be in day after tomorrow."

She nods. His eyes are lighter and his body is not as stiff as it was earlier.

"Can I hug you though?" She asks hesitantly, giving in to the urge after they finish their ice-creams.

He is startled for a few moments before in one movement he reaches her and wraps her in his arms. She places her face on his chest. It's a friendly hug and he sighs audibly as if he has wanted this all along. Maybe he has.

She pulls back a few moments later and finds people staring at them. She is Potter's wife after all who has a reputation to uphold. Unfortunately for him, she doesn't care for his reputation any more. Head high and proud, she walks out of the ice cream parlor with Tom.

They apparate together and find themselves standing in front of the huge and magnificent Malfoy Manor.

Tom knocks the door and they are ushered in by an elf who is overjoyed to see her best friend. He has always had this effect on elves. They simply adore him.

They wait for father since mother is not at home. Father has always been civil with Tom at best and this is something that irks Draco.

So when father enters the room and beams at Tom, her mouth falls open in shock. Tom reaches to shake father's hands and father pulls him in a warm hug instead. This is something that Draco had never imagined even in her wildest dreams. She stares and blinks hard wondering if this in fact something she is just imagining.

"Father, hello."

"Hello Draco." Father murmurs and then looks at Tom, who is sitting with Draco, staring at father with stunned eyes, "I am sorry for not ever behaving properly with you Tom."

The following silence is entirely deafening. Tom stares at father and so does Draco.

"I always rated people according to their blood status and wealth and it was the main reason I agreed to the marriage. I thought that Black knew his godson well and I just presumed that Potter will not be bastard, considering that he was a pureblood and had the wealth to compete my own." Father sighs, "How wrong I was. It would have been so much better if Draco had fallen for you. You came all the way back to help her. I am grateful to you. I considered requesting you to help but had no courage to show my face to you."

"It's- it's really fine Mr. Malfoy. No-"

"Lucius. Please call me Lucius and no it was no way to behave with a child. I - I am sorry for not treating you like I treated Draco. I can only hope that you will try to forgive me." Father looks at the fireplace, trying to avoid Tom.

"I never held any grudges against you. It's okay. I have moved on and you should too." Tom replies and Draco looks at him. His eyes are bright and Draco knows exactly how much Tom suffered when father treated Draco like a princess and him like someone else's child.

How can she not want this man and why does he think that he isn't enough. What proof does he need. Why doesn't he understand that sometimes loving someone is not enough? The factor that they love you unconditionally or not is much more important. It's also important to consider whether she can live happily with him or not and she can. She knows that but she doesn't know what to do to prove this to him.

Father stares at Tom and the wonder that Draco is feeling is being reflected on her father's face. How can Tom forgive father so easily. Dumbledore was really so stupid to call Tom a bad news.

Tom clears his throat and starts, "So I am filing a petition for Draco's annulment and the most essential thing is that you need to believe that she didn't agree for the marriage. I know that she didn't exactly deny but she didn't say yes and you will have to take the blame on your shoulders."

Father nods, "Of course. She hadn't accepted per se. In fact she had implied earlier that she didn't want it so I truly believe that she didn't want it. I can say it under the effect of Veritaserum."

"Also, you will have to tell the court that Potter is completely incompatible with Draco. It will be easy after that. I shall pay a visit to Black and Severus too. I don't think Potter has anyone on his side." Tom finishes and father nods, "I will talk to Narcissa too. She will tell the court how I didn't listen to her when she tried to convince me to drop the idea of this marriage. She will tell the court that she already knew that Draco did not want to marry Potter."

"Very well, Lucius. We shall take our leave then. I will request for the hearing to be held tomorrow. I think we will get the date of day after tomorrow though."

Draco gets up and hugs father who embraces Tom as well, blessing him softly. They leave after that because they have to rush to the ministry with a promise to visit soon.

XXXX


	23. The Hearing

**_ Chapter-23 _ **

**_ The Hearing _ **

Two days have passed and Harry is sitting in the courtroom filled with wizards and witches. They are here to watch as Harry's marriage gets annulled. Half an hour has already passed and statements of Severus, Sirius, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco have been taken. Lucius told them that he had forced Draco into the marriage and Narcissa provided the evidence of the same in the form of her memories. Severus also provided the memories and Sirius told the court that Harry and Draco are not at all compatible. Sirius's statement was not required but important all the same because he is the only father Harry has ever known. Harry is the only one left.

"Mr. Potter, please stand." Harry stands up and faces Riddle.

"Did you marry of your own accord or were you forced?" He asks and Harry looks at him, debating whether he should lie or tell the truth. If the court expects that he had given his ascent, they might reject the petition. That will give Harry an year to convince Draco since that is the minimum she needs to spend with him in order to file a petition for divorce.

"Yes, I accepted it." He lies and Riddle stares at him.

"Your honor, I am sorry to disrupt the proceedings but Harry is lying. I forced him to marry Draco and I have the memories to prove the same." Sirius murmurs and his soft voice seems almost too loud in the silent courtroom.

"Thank you. Please resume your seat."

"That will be all Mr. Potter. Please have a seat. The court has taken the decision."

Harry walks towards Hermione whose eyebrows are furrowed and eyes are studying him. Ron is there too.

"The court has decided the accept Mrs. Draco Potter's request. The marriage of Mr. Harry Potter and Mrs. Draco Potter is hereby annulled and declared void." The judge's voice booms and people start whispering as the decree of Annulment is signed by him.

One by one, everyone leaves the courtroom until only five people are left. Harry who is sitting with Hermione and Ron and Draco is in Riddle's arms. Harry stares at the couple. It mustn't matter. He had not wanted this marriage to start with and there are several other women who would agree to the kind of life he wants to lead.

Riddle wraps an arm around Draco's shoulders. Her eyes are bright and cheekbones are tinged red. She hasn't looked at him even once since the decision was announced.

They leave the room.

"Harry." Hermione whispers.

"Yes." He replies and his voice seems hollow even to his own ears.

"It's going to be okay. You will find someone else mate." Ron says, "It doesn't matter. It's just Malfoy. You have quarreled for half of your life with her."

"Yes of course. It doesn't matter." He murmurs and stands up, walking in the direction Draco had just left. It shouldn't matter but then why does he suddenly feel so devastated.

XXXX

Draco looks at Tom who is shaking his head constantly, "No you don't need to go. Please don't go." She wants to cup his cheeks and kiss him but she doesn't. She has decided to leave the country for six months. She wants to go and explore other countries and she wants to forget everything. She wants to move on and she also wants to be able to say that she loves Tom before she proposes him for marriage.

"I will be back. I am going to sort myself out. I am not leaving you. I am not." She insists and he looks at her with forlorn eyes, "You are leaving. Please don't leave."

"I will come back. I-" She stops and swallows. She wants to get over it. It will take time. It was so overwhelming and she needs time to sort it out. She needs to be sure that she can get over Potter and live with Tom even if it might never be the same. 

"I- I will come back. You will see. Have I ever left you? In fact you were the one who left the country as well as me." She pouts and he shakes his head again, his eyes wide, "I did not leave you. I was always in touch with you and you won't stop your casual dating and I hated it so much. This is not the same. You will never come back."

"I will come back. I promise. Please believe me and if I don't, you can always track me. You always did when I got lost." She murmurs and he sighs, studying her carefully.

"You will come back? You promise?" He murmurs and she nods, smiling at him. She is tired. She doesn't want to be reminded of Potter.

"Okay. I will track you out if you don't return." He says and she nods again.

"Can I hug you? It's just that I will miss you so much." She says and he wraps her in his warm embrace. They are at the international Apparition point. Many journalists have gathered and are taking their photographs. Potter is one of the spectators. He is silent and is watching her, dressed in his business suit. She wonders if he has some business meeting abroad. She doesn't care though.

Tom presses a surprising kiss on her forehead and blurts out, "A friendly kiss because I will miss you too.  _Please don't go._ "

He sounds so desperate and Draco wishes that she didn't need to go but she has to. She needs to be able to promise herself that she wants to marry Tom because she wants it to be forever this time.

"I will return. I swear." She whines and finally pulls back. But then Tom pulls her back in his arms, whispering in her ear, "I love you so much."

It seems as a goodbye so Draco repeats, "I will come back. This is not a goodbye."

He nods and finally lets her go. The man who has never been weak stares at her with damp eyes. He is scared just like he was when they were five. He had always been constantly terrified that she will abandon him.

She smiles at him and gives him a sweet flying kiss. Surprised amusement enters his sad eyes. It's strange how she had almost forgotten Potter's presence. She is startled when she turns around to apparate and meets Potter's eyes. They are unreadable and seem lonely.

But then who is she fooling. Harry Potter will never be lonely. She shakes her head and closes her eyes to apparate.

XXXX


	24. Six Months Later : Fate Sealed

**_Chapter-24_ **

**_Six Months Later : Fate Sealed_ **

Six months have passed and today she is returning. Harry is waiting at the apparition point and so is Riddle. His eyes are looking pointedly away from Harry. It's strange how it took only a second for Harry to forgo his pride and accept his mistake. That second when Draco apparated in front of him six months ago- that was the moment when everything fell into place and he realized that he didn't want her to leave. 

It took one moment for him to realize that he doesn't really want to date multiple women. He wants to date just Draco- that he- he wants her back.

Today six months later, somewhere deep inside his heart he knows that it isn't possible. But his heart just won't stop hoping and waiting for her to forgive him. So here he is, standing, waiting for her, wondering if fate would grant him this last chance when he lost so many others because of his stupidity.

Very suddenly, she appears in front of him. One moment, she wasn't there and the next she is in front of him, donning a bright green short flared skirt and a red shirt. She stares at him, shocked to find him here.

"I am sorry." He blurts out, "Please come back. I will not date anyone else."

A little beside Harry, Riddle freezes and says nothing. Harry can't understand how Riddle can be so- so bloody selfless.

"One chance. Only one. Please." He begs and falls down on his knees. Everybody is watching them and Harry looks at her, pleading her. He needs her as he needs air. His business has gone into losses because Harry has not been there to handle it. He was traveling across the globe, searching her. He went days without a wink of sleep so that he didn't miss the opportunity to finally locate her.

He searched her everywhere and even succeeded but she escaped. He only needed to apologize and so he owled her and he messaged her but she ignored everything.

He folds his hands and pleads, "Please. I know that you gave me several chances. I was stupid. I was mad. I was crazy and you can punish me for that. Please just come back.  _I love you_."

Oh! How the tables have turned. It took six months of trying to track her, of trying catch her mere scent from the room she had rented out, of reading every newspaper he could get his hands on to get closer to her, to just look at her face to realize that he loves her. He needed only one glimpse, just one but she eluded him.

Now he can't live without her and he wonders if this was what she had felt when he had refused to understand her.

She looks with hard eyes at him but there is pain in them too, pain that he can read and so can Riddle. Tom Riddle is a very strong man and Harry respects him. He knows that he can manipulate Riddle into trying to convince her on Harry's behalf but Harry has not sunk so low.

He wants it to be fair. He wants Draco's forgiveness and he doesn't want to manipulate anyone to get her.

"It's too late Potter." She whispers and walks towards Riddle. Harry's heart shatters and his knees feel so weak that he can't even stand up. Pain is written all over her face and it's obvious that she still loves him. Riddle had told him that Draco loved him very much. Why had Harry been so stupid.

She walks into Riddle's warm arms and Harry's damp eyes meet Riddle's pained ones.

It's done. Harry's fate is sealed. He has lost her and the entire blame rests on his shoulders.

He swallows his tears and tries to get rid of the lump in his throat before standing up and apparating to Hermione's house. She is waiting in the garden with Ron for him.

"Harry, what did she say?" She exclaims, running towards him. Ron walks at a slower pace, already having read Harry's face.

In response, Harry falls down and completely breaks apart just like Hermione had predicted all those months ago and just like she had said, they are there for him like they always have been.

The only difference is that Hermione has no remedy of his mistake this time.

After six months, Harry finally allows himself to shed tears and accept that he has lost Draco Malfoy forever.

XXXX

Three days have passed since Draco's arrival. Harry has taken permanent residence at Hermione's house. Rose's sweet voice comforts him and the presence of his best friends compels him to exist because even existing has become difficult now. Today's newspaper announced that Riddle and Draco are getting married tomorrow. The ceremony is short and very close relatives are invited.

He wonders why he is invited. He is neither close nor a relative. Maybe this is Draco's way to mock him. The letter said that he has to wear the robes he wore on their first wedding.

He has tried to tell himself that he will not go. The wedding will take place in a church and from what he knows, Severus, Sirius and everyone he knows is invited. The letter said that she wants him to look handsome because after all it's her wedding and he owes at least that much to her for forcing her to go through all that pain in the past.

Harry sighs and wipes his face. Ever since he received the letter, his tears won't stop. He has been drinking constantly for three days now and hasn't gone to office. Ron has been handling the business, seeing that a month earlier, Harry had officially made Ron his partner. He is tired of handling a multi million dynasty by himself.

He has told himself at least a million times that he won't go though he is sure that he will. This will be the first and the last time he will get to see Draco in a wedding gown. The first time, she had worn a piece of satin and he has wanted to see her dressed like a bride ever since. He just realized it six months back when she apparated right in front of him.

He takes another gulp of wine and stares outside the window, cursing himself to seven pits of hell for not listening to anyone when there had still been time.

XXXX


	25. The wedding

**_Chapter-25_ **

****

**_The Wedding  _ **

Harry stares at Riddle. The ceremony has not yet started. 

 

"I want you to place Draco's hand in mine before the priest starts speaking. I know that you love her and you are his well-wisher. She will finally have closure if you do so and will be able to lead a peaceful life with me." Riddle requests him. The man is looking handsome in black robes on black trousers and a white shirt to go with it. He had sent that letter to Harry. 

 

"I just want to leave. I can't watch her getting married to you." He whispers softly.

 

Riddle sighs, "Oh! So you are not happy for her and you don't want to be present because it makes you sad. I knew it. You are a selfish man and care just for your own happiness. Okay I will leave you in peace."

 

He turns around and starts leaving when Harry calls, "Wait." because Harry doesn't want to be selfish. He wants to be happy for Draco. He wants her to start her new life with a smile on her face and if he has to paste a smile on his face for that then so be it. Plus he will get to watch her in her wedding dress.

 

"I'm coming." He shrugs, running a hand over his hair to flatten them and rubbing his cheeks to remove the remaining trace of tears from them.

 

"You are a wizard Potter." Riddle mutters and waves a hand on Harry's face. A moment later, Harry finds himself staring at the man's retreating back. He doesn't understand him at all. Why does he care. Shouldn't he be jealous and angry and insecure seeing that Draco obviously still loves Harry.

 

Harry doesn't understand Riddle. The man is a puzzle Harry can never solve.

 

He simply shakes his head. St. Martin's church is arranged in the form of a cross. He walks inside and for a moment stares at the occupants of the church. Everyone they know is there along with Draco's school friends. He is surprised to see Hermione and Ron there too. Hermione smiles at him. Harry nods in return before walking towards the dais where the ceremony will take place. He refuses to look at anyone else. It seems that they are mocking him for losing a wonderful woman because of his foolishness. He looks at the cross and bows his head, praying for Draco to always be happy.

 

The priest is standing at the alter and Riddle is looking intently at Harry. They are waiting for Draco. Finally the doors open and she enters inside.

 

Harry stares at her. He has no words to describe her beauty right now.

 

She has worn a Strapless floor-length white gown with a flared hem and a lining that falls from her hair that are arranged in a bun. A few strands are falling on her cheeks and are caressing them softly. Her cheeks are tinged red and she is smiling. Her smile is not reaching her eyes.

 

She freezes when her eyes fall on him even before they fall on Riddle. It's painful to watch them flicker towards Riddle who walks towards Draco. Harry swallows. A lump has settled in his throat and he realizes that he has no choice but to give her hand to him. She is so beautiful and he loves her and she loves him too but he has lost her. He doesn't want to lose her.

 

Everybody stands up and Draco stands in front of Riddle. Riddle looks at Harry who swallows yet again before walking forward.

 

XXXX

 

"What is this Tom? Why is he here?" Draco murmurs. She loves Harry Potter and will always keep on loving him. He chased her across the globe and she kept on eluding him. It took a bit of time to accept it. She had thought that maybe it will be easy to get over him once her marriage got annulled. She came back to the country to only be received by Potter who started begging her on his knees.

 

She proposed Tom for marriage and Tom agreed. He had waited for her and she couldn't break his heart. She had no idea that Tom had invited Potter. Why had she not been told about this? 

 

The man is standing in front of her, his eyes red rimmed and his hair as unmanageable and adorable as they have always been.

 

Tom looks at her as Potter walks closer and reaches for Draco's hand.

 

"Wait." Tom murmurs and backs off before taking Draco's right hand very gently in his. He holds Potter's left hand and then he places Draco's right hand on Potter's left.

 

Draco stares at her best friend along with Potter. A tear escapes Tom's eyes as he smiles at them. Several gasps are heard all around the church but no-one utters a single word.

 

Draco waits for Tom to collect his thoughts. He shakes his head and wipes the tear off with his little finger and starts speaking, "You had a choice the first time and you didn't deny your father."

 

Potter gasps and Draco blinks hard to focus on Tom. What is he doing? This is hardly fair on her best friend? He waited for her. He waited his entire life. It isn't fair.

 

"You have a choice again. Deny only once and I shall marry you." He murmurs, his voice breaking off by the end.

 

Draco stares, her lips parted, her hands in Potter's who is frozen, staring at their joined hands in wonder.

 

"What are you doing? This is not fair on you." She murmurs.

 

"Deny and I will make you mine." Surprisingly, Tom's voice is steady now and his eyes are damp. He knows that Draco can't deny. She can't. She loves Potter.

 

She swallows and he starts again, "It's not about being fair or unfair. I love you but you have only ever loved him. He loves you back and I just want you to be happy and will not come between your happiness and you."

 

He turns around and walks towards father and mother who are staring at them in shock. Only Hermione and Ron are not surprised. They must have known it. Tom stands in beside mother and it comforts Draco. After all these years, he has a family of his own and he feels comfortable with them.

 

XXXX

 

Harry is speechless. How can a man be so selfless? He stares at their hands. It's beautiful - this feeling. He can't describe it. She is staring at him now and Harry is staring at their hands. Why had he ever thought that he needed someone other than her.

 

He never knew that she had wanted to marry him the first time and she didn't deny Riddle now. Harry stares into her beautiful silver eyes trying to accept that this is in fact real and not his imagination.

 

She swallows and glares lightly at him. He blinks.

 

"Bastard." She mouths and he hears Ron snort from somewhere behind him.

 

"Mr. Potter." The priest starts, "Do you accept Draco as your lawfully wedded wife and accept the responsibility of being a loving, faithful and helpful husband whether in days of success or adversity?"

 

"Faithful." Draco mouths pointedly, her eyes narrowed and Harry sighs, "I do."

 

He looks at Draco. He has so many things to say to her. He starts with the apology.

 

"Draco, you entered my life when we were eleven started changing it. You made yourself a place in my heart and refused to leave and I didn't realize about it until our first marriage was declared void. I have regretted nothing as I have regretted denying you the love and faithfulness you deserved. I am sorry for hurting you. I promise to love you until the end of my days no matter what. A lifetime is less to express the love I have for you in my heart. I promise to stand by you and accept you as you are, flaws and all. I promise to never make you cry or hurt you. My heart belongs to you and so do I, to do with them as you please. "

 

XXXX

 

Draco stares at Pot- Harry. His eyes are welling with tears as he speaks.

 

"Ms. Malfoy." The priest starts, "Do you accept Harry as your lawfully wedded husband and accept the responsibility of being loving, faithful and helpful wife whether in days of success or adversity?"

 

Draco waits and looks at Tom. Tears are flowing down his cheeks and her heart goes out to him. She had not wanted to believe that Harry had changed and she had not wanted to hurt Tom.

 

" I do. " she pauses before continuing, "Harry. I have loved you ever since I have understood the meaning of this word. I tried to prove to myself that I can get over it and forget it. It hurt so much to watch you with others."

 

She swallows and Harry looks at her with guilt in his eyes.

 

"But I forgive you. I forgave you when you started chasing me six months ago. I thought that I could forget my feelings for you and marry Tom and now I think that I was too foolish to think so. I can never replace you. I love you and will keep on loving you till my last breathe."

 

"Both of you are married now. Mr. Potter, now you can kiss the bride." The priest says and Harry looks at her for two seconds before cupping her cheeks and pressing their lips together.

 

She can safely claim that she has never been kissed like this. She has to gently disentangle their lips and he growls under his breath. It sends a shiver up her spine and she closes her eyes.

 

Tom walks towards her. They stare at each other.

 

"I am sorry." She murmurs.

 

He smiles and shakes his head before looking at Harry, "Could I hug my friend for one last time?"

 

Harry swallows and nods, backing off.

 

Tom embraces Draco and whispers softly in her ears, "I love you and will always do. I will try to remember you like this, smiling and blushing and glowing with happiness. May god bless you."

 

He pulls back and Draco watches him leave, tears flowing down her eyes. Harry wraps her in his arms, murmuring, "We will visit him. Don't worry. He will be fine. Shhhh."

 

She calms down a bit and everyone hugs her and warns Harry to never hurt her again and it pleases her to no end.

 

She walks out of the church, hand in hand with Harry, the man she has wanted ever since she has been eleven.

 

THE END


End file.
